Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Commentary on the Lamp of All Secrets serves as a technical exegesis of a tantric system centered on the non-duality of emptiness and skillful means. The text argues that enlightenment is achieved through the indivisibility of the three vajras—body, speech, and mind—and the realization of the dharmadhātu. It functions as a manual for the practitioner, moving from the theoretical foundations of the two accumulations to the practical application of generation and completion stages. The work commits the reader to a rigorous path of visualization, mantra recitation, and the attainment of clear light (prabhāsvara). By synthesizing the roles of various deities and the five families of Tathāgatas, the text provides a framework for transforming ordinary perception into the state of Great Vajradhara, emphasizing that the ultimate goal is the non-referential compassion and non-dual wisdom that characterize the nature of all Buddhas.
Provenance
About this text
A commentary on the Subsequent Tantra of the Guhyasamāja, the Sarvaguhyapradīpaṭīkā serves as a technical exegesis of a tantric system centered on the non-duality of emptiness and skillful means. The work is attributed to the Indian author Yaśobhadra. It was translated into the Tibetan language by Smṛtijñānakīrti and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཧ, where it comprises 62 pages. Within the Tibetan canon, it is situated in the collection of the Guhyasamāja and Related Tantras under the title gsang ba thams cad kyi sgron ma'i rgya cher 'grel pa. The text argues that enlightenment is achieved through the indivisibility of body, speech, and mind and the realization of the dharmadhātu, functioning as a manual that moves from the theoretical foundations of the two accumulations to the practical application of generation and completion stages. It commits the reader to a path of visualization, mantra recitation, and the attainment of clear light, synthesizing the roles of various deities and the five families of Tathāgatas. A scholar or serious reader consults this work today to understand the framework for transforming ordinary perception into the state of Great Vajradhara, emphasizing the ultimate goal of non-referential compassion and non-dual wisdom.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “Commentary on the Lamp of All Secrets” (Toh 1787), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1787
Summary & commentary
Significance
This work is significant for its detailed mapping of the intersection between ritual conduct and the philosophy of non-duality in the Indo-Tibetan tradition. It provides a bridge between the abstract nature of the dharmadhātu and the concrete requirements of tantric empowerment and yoga. For the modern reader, it illustrates the complexity of the Vajrayana system of deity yoga and the specific technicalities of the completion stage.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-9
Foundations and Requests
Introduction to the text, homage to Vajratīkṣṇa, and the presentation of requests for the meaning of the Explanatory Tantra.
10-15
The Three Vajras and Non-Duality
Discussion on the indivisibility of body, speech, and mind, and the nature of the assembly (Guhyasamāja) as non-dual wisdom.
22-36
Tantric Families and Deities
Analysis of the five families of Tathāgatas, the nature of the Victor (jina), and the non-conceptual nature of phenomena.
43-73
Ritual Conduct and Empowerment
Instructions on mantra recitation, the union of vajra and lotus, the conferral of wisdom-gnosis empowerment, and the nature of clear light.
74-81
Generation and Completion Stages
Technical guidance on the approach stage, visualization of syllables and deities, the achievement of Mahāmudrā, and rituals for expelling obstructors.
Themes
Non-duality of the Three Vajras (10, 12, 78)
Clear Light and Mahāmudrā (63, 70, 77)
The Five Families of Tathāgatas (4, 22, 76)
Ritual Visualization and Mantra (43, 75, 80)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
In the language of India: Sarvaguhyapradīpaṭīkā. In the language of Tibet: Gsang ba thams cad kyi sgron ma'i rgya cher 'grel pa. Homage to the glorious Vajratīkṣṇa.
To the Vajrasattva of union—emptiness, the great emptiness, and the emptiness of all that is great—I bow and shall explain the Subsequent Tantra. This Subsequent Tantra of the Guhyasamāja, the tantra of the secrets of the body, speech, and mind of all the Tathāgatas, clarifies the entire meaning of the seventeen chapters of the Root Tantra, elaborates upon points that were incomplete, demonstrates the definitive divisions of the individual chapters, and shows that the primary meaning of this king of tantras consists of the four branches of approach and accomplishment. Therefore, the words "Then" and so forth were spoken. The meaning of these eighteen chapters also consists of the presentation of the praise and the presentation of the requester of the Subsequent Tantra’s meaning.
Regarding the presentation of the praise, there are three parts: the praise for the completion of the Root Tantra; the praise for the indivisibility of the support and the supported; the praise for the Tathāgata after all doubts have been severed; and the praise by way of summarizing the entire meaning of the tantra.
In that regard, as for the word "Then" (atha): the meaning of the term atha is an auspicious word. It serves as the introductory juncture for explaining the Subsequent Tantra once the Root Tantra is finished; this is the literal meaning. Atha is also the akāra (the letter A) in the mantra akāro mukhaṃ sarvadharmāṇām, which is the accumulation of primordial wisdom (jñānasaṃbhāra)—the fact that all phenomena lack intrinsic nature. Tha is the accumulation of merit (puṇyasaṃbhāra).
"The tantra that reveals the two accumulations" is the general meaning. A is the lotus of insight, which gives rise to the dharmadhātu. Tha is the hidden meaning of the vajra of skillful means. A is the pure insight of non-arising. Tha is non-referential compassion; this is the ultimate explanation. Regarding the phrase "Maitreya and so forth": Maitreya is a bodhisattva hindered by only one birth, who requested the tantra for the sake of future beings; this is the interpretable meaning. Maitreya is the Great Vajradhara himself, who manifested as a member of the retinue and requested [the tantra] in order to clarify the root tantra through the gateway of great love for sentient beings; this is the definitive meaning. The term "bodhisattva" will be explained below. Regarding the term "Tathāgata": because he has gone to suchness (tathatā), he is called a Tathāgata; this is the general meaning. Regarding the term "Tathāgata": because he proceeds in the same way as he was born, without fear of the future, he is a Tathāgata; this is the hidden meaning. Regarding the term "Tathāgata": because he possesses the perfection of primordial wisdom (jñāna), he is a Tathāgata; this is the ultimate explanation. The empowerments and so forth will also be explained below. Regarding the phrase "all things": through the realization of one's own primordial wisdom in its entirety, one sees the meaning of the dharmatā exactly as it is and without error by way of hearing, and hears it by way of reflection.
This means that they have come to understand through the gateway of meditation. "Dharmas" refers to the aggregates and so forth. "Vision" means that all are empty. "All of those" refers to the nature of all the Buddhas of the ten directions; because they are subsumed within the Great Vajradhara, it is so called. Now, regarding the three praises, first, in order to praise the completion of the Root Tantra, he spoke the words beginning with "Emao" (How wonderful!). "Emao" expresses wonder at the explanation of the Guhyasamāja Root Tantra. In what is it wonderful? "Samantabhadra" refers to the Great Vajradhara who is free from all conceptual elaborations. His body, speech, and mind are Vairocana, Amitābha, and Akṣobhya. "By the three definitive vajras of those three" means that he dwells within the three vajras of the body, speech, and mind of those three. "Abiding in silence" refers to his remaining without speech, having focused on the illusory-like equality of the body, speech, and mind of all the Tathāgatas.
"All sentient beings, by the three times,
Have truly arisen as the essence of vajra."
This means that the bodies of all sentient beings and Vairocana are not separate as support and supported, but are perfected in suchness. It demonstrates the inseparability of the bodies and speech of those who are perfected and those who are not. Likewise, whatever speech and mind exist in the three realms are shown to be one with Amitābha and Akṣobhya. This is what is being taught:
The infinite and boundless nirmāṇakāya buddhas endowed with the five families, the bodhisattvas, the wrathful kings, and so forth, all attain the very state of Vairocana, Amitābha, and Akṣobhya. Regarding the phrase "all buddhas possess great miraculous power," it means that all buddhas are comprised within the three families. Regarding "attaining the state of Bodhivajra," it means that all sentient beings of the three realms attain the state in which the support and the supported are inseparable from the three families.
"O, how marvelous is this! O, how marvelous is the peace that transcends the senses!" This means that all buddhas are subsumed within the three families and, being of the nature of clear light, become silent. "Peace" refers to that which transcends the domain of the senses; the intent is that this is truly marvelous. "O, how marvelous is the stream of saṃsāra!" This refers to the marvel of the stream of body, speech, and mind of all sentient beings in the three realms being the supreme nirvāṇa within the three families.
Furthermore, from the seventeenth chapter: "Then the Tathāgata Vairocana, the Body Vajra, abiding in the bodies of all those in the three realms, focused upon the equality of the bodies of all Tathāgatas and became silent." This is the praise. Delighted by the praise of the Great Vajradhara, he spoke the manifestation, beginning with "Then..." and so forth. "That is just so" means they have become buddhas.
"That is so" means that all three realms appear as the three families. Having thus shown the praise, the teaching on the request for the meaning of the Explanatory Tantra is presented by the words "Then the bodhisattva..." and so forth. "The assembly of bodhisattvas, the great beings" refers to Maitreya and others, who are beyond measure. "Secret offerings" and so forth indicate the preparation for the request; "secret" refers to the offering of the vajra and the lotus. "Outer offerings" refer to the five sensory pleasures, the seven precious jewels, and so on. "Having prostrated" means touching the five limbs of the body; this is the interpretable meaning. The definitive meaning is that the nature of one's own mind becomes the awareness of primordial wisdom (jñāna), and that itself is the prostration. To show the general request for the meaning of the Explanatory Tantra, he spoke the words "Ema!" and so forth. "Extremely difficult to find" is taught to increase faith by showing the difficulty of finding this tantra; it is shown that it was not spoken even by the Buddha Dīpaṃkara, nor did it appear after the Tathāgata Kāśyapa passed into nirvāṇa. Why is that? Because during that time, sentient beings were excessively inclined toward the inferior and possessed minds that were terrified by the teaching of the profound discipline of the Dharma, such as generosity and ethical discipline, which are free from attachment. Therefore, because they lacked the fortune, the explanation of the meaning of the great secret was not spoken at that time.
At this time, having known the inclinations of sentient beings who engage in desire and for whom the five degenerations are rampant, he appeared. Because this is the method for achieving enlightenment that is extremely difficult to find, and which was spoken by Vajradhara alone, it is said: "Even if Bodhisattvas were to strive and exert themselves for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges, they would not attain enlightenment; however, by entering the ultimate truth through the stages of internal awakening for Bodhisattvas who delight in the Guhyasamāja, and having washed away all the stains of turbidity, they arise through the stage of self-consecration in a single instant, a moment, a brief duration, or even the blink of an eye, thereby becoming endowed with the perfection of omniscience."
Regarding the phrase "the cause, the supreme of the supreme": the root tantra of all tantras is the Tattvasaṃgraha, and its subsequent tantra is the Guhyasamāja. The subsequent tantra to that is these eighteen chapters. Regarding the term "hidden": just like a hidden treasure, the phenomena of desire and so forth were taught in the root tantra with words and meanings that were not explicit; therefore, the subsequent tantra was requested in order to realize them. Having thus requested for his own benefit, he then requested for the benefit of others, as indicated by the words "for sentient beings." Regarding "what was explained": this refers to the aforementioned root tantra. Because Vajradhara spoke of the manifestation, he then spoke the words beginning with "Then..." and so forth.
"Well done" is said because the request was made for the sake of all sentient beings. In order to show the request for the doubts concerning the Explanatory Tantra (Uttaratantra), it says: "Then all the bodhisattvas, with great joy, with their eyes..." and so forth. "Again and again" means that the great purpose is attained through many requests. If one asks what the name of this tantra is, it is shown to be the Glorious Guhyasamāja Yoga Tantra. Four doubts are raised regarding the meanings of "secret" (guhya), "assembly" (samāja), "glorious" (śrī), "tantra" (tantra), and "yoga" (yoga); thus, the entire meaning of the tantra is requested in brief.
Regarding the request concerning the teaching of the five families in the first chapter: "In how many aspects are those [realities] explained?" In order to show the manner of body, speech, and mind, it says: "Likewise, in how many aspects is the secret [taught]?" The request concerning the singular meaning of the Great Vajradhara is: "And what is the great secret?" The extensive request concerning the isolation of the body is: "In how many aspects is the sublime [taught]?"
From the second chapter, the request concerning the meaning of the teaching on bodhicitta is: "What is called 'bodhicitta'?" From the first chapter, the request concerning the meaning of the teaching on the form of the Great Knowledge-Being (vidyāpuruṣa) is: "The Knowledge-Being." From the first chapter, the sixteen doubts requested regarding the meaning of the teaching on the mantras of the thirteen deities are shown by the section from "Vajradhṛk" up to "Vighnāntakṛt." From the ninth chapter, [the request concerns] the conduct of the bodhisattvas and...
The request concerning the meaning of the conduct of the tathāgata is: "What is the conduct?" In the fifth and seventh chapters, the request concerning the meaning of the mantra conduct is: "Likewise, what is the mantra conduct?" which refers to the conduct of yoga. In the third chapter, the request concerning the meaning of the recitation taught is: "What is the recitation?" In the fifteenth chapter, the request concerning the meaning of the empowerment of the deity is: "What is explained as the sealing?" In the thirteenth chapter, the request concerning the meditation on the ten wrathful deities taught is: "The source of phenomena." The request concerning the summary of all seventeen chapters is: "What is the vow like?" In the ninth chapter, the request concerning the meaning of bringing the afflictions under control is: "How does one act for the benefit of sentient beings?" In the fourth and sixteenth chapters, the request concerning the meaning of the maṇḍala is: "What is meant by the term maṇḍala?" The request concerning the meaning of those very chapters is: "How are the mudrās to be arranged?" The request concerning the meaning taught in the eighth chapter is: "Flower" and "stūpa." The request concerning the meaning of the maṇḍala taught in the thirteenth chapter is: "Wisdom maṇḍala" and "What is explained here as the abode?" The request concerning the meaning of the servants taught in the sixteenth chapter is: "Exhorting the Protector," "sending," "invoking," and "binding." The request concerning the meaning of the eighth and sixteenth chapters is:
"How is the empowerment conferred?" is the question. This is what was taught in the sixteenth chapter. The request concerning the "vow of awareness" is as follows. The request concerning the meaning taught in the fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth, twelfth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters is: "the five nectars" and "the five faculties." The meaning taught in the eleventh and seventeenth chapters is: "what are the inferior and supreme accomplishments?" The request concerning the meaning of the tantra from beginning to end is: "In that regard, how many types of methods are there?" and "Likewise, how does the method arise?" Regarding the meaning of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth chapters, the request is: "How is the command to be given?" In order to show that the Great Vajradhara granted permission, and to show that he entered the clear light and remained silent, he spoke the words beginning with "Then all those Tathāgatas..." The phrase "focusing on the Vajra-holder" refers to non-dual primordial wisdom. Then, in order to show the repeated exhortation to Vajradhara who had entered the clear light, he spoke the words beginning with "Then the great Bodhisattvas..." The phrase "the nature of compassion" means that the Bodhisattvas have come under the power of compassion for others. In order to show the necessity of meditative equipoise after explaining the extraordinary qualities, he spoke the words beginning with "Then the Tathāgatas..." The phrase "the body, speech, and mind are the vajra" is taught in the second chapter: the mind is like the body, and the body is like the Vajra Body.
"Generate the body as if it were the mind, the mind-vajra; generate the mind as if it were speech, the speech-vajra"—this means that one should generate awakening through the essence of the indivisibility of the three vajras. Regarding the phrase "having placed the body, speech, and mind in the vajra": it means that one should correctly join the body, speech, and mind with the essence of emptiness, which is like space, and unify them; then, having requested this from the Bodhisattvas, one should meditate extensively in equipoise. This is the interpretable meaning.
Regarding the phrase "make the body, speech, and mind into the vajra": it means that one should generate the body through the nature of the mind. One should generate the body as the saṃbhogakāya together with the three minds and the subtle elements, such that the body is like the mind; and that there is nothing other than the mind itself; and that the mind is like the expression of words—meaning one should generate the nature of the mind as whatever is expressed in words.
Regarding the phrase "having placed the body, speech, and mind in the vajra, O Bodhisattvas": it means that you Bodhisattvas, having correctly joined and unified the body, speech, and mind with the luminosity that is the essence of space, should generate yourselves as the Great Vajradhara. To demonstrate that very point, it says "Then," and "having received the command upon the crown of the head": this means that, having become joyful and having made a proper request, they settled in meditative equipoise according to the instructions. This is the explanation of the meaning of what was requested by the Bodhisattvas.
Then, the passage beginning with "Thus" and so forth was spoken. Regarding the phrase "focusing on their own great compassion," this means that all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, abiding in the state of Vajradhara, issued a single command in a single voice to explain the meaning of what was requested. This is what is being shown: all the buddhas of the ten directions gathered in the great celestial mansion, becoming as dense as a pod of sesame seeds, and with a single intention, they taught the single meaning of suchness in a single voice.
Now, in order to show the title of the tantra:
"The body, speech, and mind are threefold;
They are taught as the 'Secret'."
Regarding this, the transformation into the three families, such as the commitments and vows, is the explanation of the literal meaning (akṣarārtha). "Secret" refers to the three syllables OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ; this is the general meaning (sāmānyārtha). "Secret" refers to the three wisdoms appearing by nature, accompanied by the mount of the winds; this is the hidden meaning (garbhārtha). "Secret" refers to the body that is the nature of wisdom; this is explained as the ultimate meaning (paryavasānārtha).
In order to show the term "Gathering" (saṃpuṭa):
"All the buddhas
Are explained as the assembly and gathering."
Regarding this, the gathering of all the buddhas, in which the two become one, is the literal meaning. "All the buddhas" refers to Vajradhara and his consort; their perfect union of vajra and lotus is the assembly and gathering, which is the general meaning. "All the buddhas" refers to method and insight; their assembly and perfect union is the gathering, which is the hidden meaning.
"All buddhas" refers to the conventional and ultimate truths. The union and assembly of these two is the Great Vajradhara, whose nature is non-dual wisdom; this is the "assembly" (Guhyasamāja) in the ultimate sense. This is what is shown: the appearance of the body, speech, and mind as the three—the Tathāgata, the Lotus, and the Vajra—becoming one as the Buddha, the Lotus, and Vajradhara, is the "assembly of the secret of the ultimate wisdom." From the three syllables, having become the body of the Great Vajradhara, the union of the consort and the vajra-lotus is called the "assembly of the secret of the general meaning." That very [wisdom] possessing the mounts of the three types of winds, becoming the illusory body whose nature is method and insight, is the "assembly of the secret of the hidden meaning." The union of the two truths in non-dual integration is called the "assembly of the secret of the ultimate meaning." By this, the entire meaning of the tantra is shown. Regarding the connection of the tantra, all meanings are perfectly complete and are indicated by the word "glory" (śrī). In general, it is said: "The fifth and the ninth itself," and so forth. From the fifth chapter, the conduct of yoga is taught. From the ninth chapter, the marvelous prophecy is taught. Regarding "the seventeenth and the thirteenth": from the seventeenth chapter, the commitments and vows are thoroughly shown. From the thirteenth chapter, the collection of activities for those primarily devoted to the internal is taught.
Regarding the term "Buddha": the conduct of the great accomplishment of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is taught in these chapters. This is what is shown: having brought under mastery the three yogic conducts—the elaborate, the unelaborate, and the extremely unelaborate—through the fifth chapter, one undertakes the marvelous conduct of the five afflictions from the ninth chapter. Once that is realized, one engages in all mundane and supramundane conducts by way of the seventeenth chapter. Thus, having realized the three elaborations of the Bodhisattva's yoga, and having perfected one's own welfare through the marvelous conduct, samaya, and vows of the Tathāgata, one engages in the collections of activities from the thirteenth chapter for the sake of others by being supremely intent upon the welfare of others. This is what is taught.
Regarding the statement: "The fourth and the sixteenth, the eighth and likewise the twelfth," the fourth chapter teaches the maṇḍala for conferring empowerment. The sixteenth chapter elaborates and explains in detail the colored-powder maṇḍala of the fourth. Furthermore, the fourth is the disciple's maṇḍala, and the sixteenth is the maṇḍala of accomplishments. The eighth chapter teaches the secret empowerment. The twelfth chapter teaches the complete transformation into the Mahāmudrā.
Regarding the phrase "The general activities of the master": this refers to all the enlightened activities of all masters.
"Having drawn the maṇḍala, the vase, secret, and insight-knowledge empowerments are conferred. The siddhi is the vow of the observance." This means that, having drawn the maṇḍala and preceded it with the observance of awareness, one accomplishes the two types of siddhi by means of the mudrā of the awareness-observance. This is what is being shown: for one's own benefit, one should draw the maṇḍala and accomplish siddhi through the conduct of the awareness-observance; for the benefit of others, one should draw the maṇḍala, initiate the disciples through the ritual of entry, and confer the four types of empowerment—this is what is taught as "accomplishment."
Regarding the lines: "The sixth and the second, the tenth and the fourteenth," the sixth chapter teaches the blessing of the body, speech, and mind. The fourth chapter teaches exclusively the completion stage. The tenth chapter teaches the invocation of the essence, both outer and inner, in order to manifest the desired siddhi. The fourteenth chapter teaches the collection of activities for those who are supremely devoted to mantra.
"Wrathful conduct, passion, and the vow of near-accomplishment" means that the tenth and fourteenth chapters concern wrathful conduct, while the sixteenth chapter teaches passion through method and insight; these constitute the vow for the near-accomplishment of one's own deity. This is what is being shown: the sixth chapter is the generation stage, and...
This teaches that if a yogi endowed with the completion stage does not achieve [the goal] in the second chapter, they should invoke their own deity as in the tenth chapter. Having fulfilled their own purpose, they will act through the fourteenth chapter by means of being supremely devoted to the mantra for the sake of others.
Regarding the statement, "The seventh, the third, the eleventh, and the fifteenth": the seventh chapter teaches the three elaborations of yogic conduct. The third chapter teaches the yogas of the completely pure and the completely impure deities. The eleventh chapter teaches the generation of the mantra-body of the generation stage and the wisdom-body of the completion stage. The fifteenth chapter teaches the collection of activities, all the siddhis, dream omens, and the illusion-like samādhi.
The "four siddhis" refer to the collection of activities in the fifteenth chapter and the uncommon siddhis in the eleventh chapter. "Omens" refers to the dream omens and illusion-like omens taught in the fifteenth chapter; these constitute the vows of the approach stage.
This is what is taught: one accomplishes one's own purpose through the two stages arising from the third and eleventh chapters, supported and perfected by the yogic conduct of the seventh chapter. Then, for the sake of others, one accomplishes [the goal] through the collection of activities in the fifteenth chapter. The summarized meaning is that once the omens of the siddhis of the approach stage have arisen, [one proceeds].
Through the stage of near-attainment, one engages in invoking the deity for the sake of others. Having perfected one's own welfare, one accomplishes the maṇḍala for the sake of others and the common siddhis for one's own sake. As for the supreme siddhi of Mahāmudrā, it is accomplished by means of the stage of great attainment. This is the connection between the individual chapters and the summarized meaning of the tantra’s text.
Regarding the first chapter, titled "The Eleventh," the "ten" is included within the implicit "one." This chapter provides a brief presentation of the four branches of approach and attainment. From this chapter, one should understand that the empowerment of knowledge is bestowed upon those fortunate enough to hear the maṇḍala of the practice of the Great Vajradhara—the nature of which is both the expressed and the expresser. It teaches the respective methods of practice for the generation and completion stages through the distinctions of the provisional and definitive meanings, and it presents a summary of the meaning of all sixteen subsequent chapters.
Now, in order to clearly demonstrate the meaning of those chapters, it says: "The activities of all the Tathāgatas, which perform subduing and benefiting." This means that in the fourth chapter on near-attainment, the Tathāgatas engage all sentient beings in the Buddha's teaching through conduct that benefits those who are disciplined and peaceful, and they engage those sentient beings who are difficult to tame through conduct that subdues them. Thus: "The entry of sentient beings who are disciplined, difficult to tame, and peaceful."
Thus it is said. Regarding the statement, "The generation stage and the completion stage, the approach through the four vajra rituals," the fourth chapter on approach teaches the generation stage and the completion stage via the four vajra rituals for the sake of accomplishing common siddhis. As it is said: "It is the supreme text itself, connected to the common siddhis." Regarding the phrase, "Connected to the maṇḍala and the conduct," the fourth chapter on accomplishment teaches that at the time of accomplishing the maṇḍala and siddhis, one is connected to the conduct of awareness (vidyā-vrata); and at the time of the maṇḍala and the master's activities, one is connected to the complete maturation of the disciples. This is also shown by the words, "By the guru through the path of mantra." Regarding the phrase, "With excellent conduct," the fourth chapter on great accomplishment is shown. Through empowerment, one who has become a disciple enters the gateway of the excellent conduct of yogic practice, the conduct of emanation, the conduct of the great beings—the buddhas and bodhisattvas—and the conduct of the marvelous samayas and vows; thereby, one's own mind is completely liberated and the clear light is attained.
Having thus explained the title of the tantra as the Glorious Guhyasamāja, now, in order to teach what is called "yoga tantra," the response to the question, "What is meant by 'yoga'?" is shown by the words, "The union of method and insight," and so forth.
"Insight" (prajñā) refers to the insight into the fact that all phenomena, characterized by appearance and emptiness and the ultimate, are without intrinsic entity. "Method" (upāya) refers to the method of the illusory nature of all phenomena, characterized by the increase of appearance, the great emptiness, method, and the conventional. "Meditative absorption" (samāpatti) refers to the yoga of non-duality—the attainment of appearance, the great emptiness, and the near-attainment—which is like an illusion; this is the hidden meaning.
"Insight" is the insight into the ultimate truth that all phenomena are without intrinsic entity. As it is said:
"That which is the abode of all objects of observation,
And which has not become words,
Through the engagement of the Vajra Mind,
Is explained as 'insight'."
"Method" refers to the three appearances, which are the characteristics of conventional entities. As the master Nāgārjuna said:
"The teaching of the three appearances
Is renowned as the 'conventional'."
"Meditative absorption" refers to the yoga of the conventional and ultimate, in which the yogi unifies all phenomena—both animate and inanimate—into the single form of Mahāmudrā. This identity of union, the form of the Great Vajradhara, is called "yoga"; this is the ultimate tantra. To demonstrate the meaning of "tantra" (tantra), it is said:
"Tantra is renowned as 'continuity'."
This explains the etymological definition of tantra.
Regarding the term tantra, although the meaning of the four branches of approach and accomplishment (sevā-sādhana) may appear to be disordered in the chapters, they are in fact interconnected, and thus it is called a "tantra." Alternatively, the three essential natures of the tantra that appear below are explained as "tantra" or "continuum" (tantra) because they are continuously connected.
Now, in order to explain the essential nature of the tantra through its classifications, it is said:
"The tantra classes are of three types:
The four, and likewise the nature,
And the classification of the unassailable."
This refers to the three classifications: the causal tantra, the natural method tantra, and the unassailable resultant tantra. Furthermore, regarding the division into cause and result:
"The four and the nature are the cause;
Likewise, the unassailable is the result."
To show what the "four" are, it says: "The four are called the method." This means that the four branches of approach and accomplishment are the method tantra of this system. As it says in this very text:
"The method is of four types,
Spoken by the Vajra of Awakening.
In all Yoga Tantras,
The yogi’s analysis is praised.
The ritual of approach is the first,
Neighboring accomplishment is the second,
Accomplishment is the third,
And great accomplishment is the fourth."
Therefore, the causal tantra is the nature of the jewel-like individual who is the practitioner, and the method tantra consists of the four branches of approach and accomplishment.
The resultant continuum is the non-abiding nirvāṇa, the body of the union of Vajradhara, which cannot be stolen by others. These three are the essential nature of the continuum itself; therefore, the meaning of the continuum is summarized by these three. Thus it is said.
Now, in order to show the classification of the families, it is said: "The families are five and three," and so forth. Regarding the statement "the families are five," the brief presentation is clarified by: "That very [nature] is explained as fivefold." From those four elements, the aggregates of the body are fully accomplished; they arise and are produced from the collection of the elements. Therefore, that which arises from the elements, such as the aggregate of form and so forth, belongs to the Tathāgata family, for it is approached by the gathering of the earth element. Likewise, those belonging to the Ratna family are the water element; those belonging to the Padma family are the fire element; those belonging to the Karma family are the wind element; and those belonging to the Vajra family are the gathering of the consciousness element. By this method, through the division of the maṇḍala of one's own body into the elements and that which is derived from the elements, the aggregates arise as the nature of the five secrets, becoming the suchness of the five great elements. As it is said in the Root Tantra: "In brief, the five aggregates are renowned as the five Buddhas."
Regarding the statement "three," the brief presentation is clearly explained by: "The secrets are explained as threefold." Thus, the five Tathāgatas are to be condensed into three.
Furthermore, Ratnasambhava is non-dual with the Vajra Body. Amoghasiddhi is non-dual with the Vajra Speech. Akṣobhya is non-dual with the sixth, Vajradhara. Thus, because all buddhas and bodhisattvas are subsumed within one's own body, speech, and mind, they are explained as being three. As it is said in the Candraguhyatilaka: "Through the application of body, speech, and mind, they also become three."
To clearly explain the brief teaching on the essential nature: "The supreme deity is the Great Secret." This refers to the yoga of blessing, which is the intense conviction in the Great Vajradhara, whose characteristic is the indivisibility of the three vajras. This is the first to arise as the body of the completion stage, and is thus so called. Alternatively, the body that is the synthesis of all the buddhas of the ten directions is the Great Vajradhara. The body that appears as the essential nature of all mundane and supramundane deities—the body of the wisdom of union—is called the "supreme deity." Because it is the gathering of the secrets of body, speech, and mind, and has become the Great Perfection, it is so called. As it is said in the Cakrasaṃvara: "This is the self-arisen Blessed One, the sole, most great deity."
To clearly explain the brief teaching on the "one hundred families": "The sublime families are of one hundred types." This refers to the five aggregates and the four elements.
By taking each of the five faculties and the five objects as the basis for the five families, there are one hundred families. What are they? They are as follows: the five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas upon the aggregate of form, explained in terms of the meditative absorption of Vairocana; the five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas upon the aggregate of feeling, explained in terms of the meditative absorption of Ratnasambhava; the five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas upon the aggregate of perception, explained in terms of the meditative absorption of Amitābha; the five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas upon the aggregate of formations, explained in terms of the meditative absorption of Amoghasiddhi; and the five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas upon the aggregate of consciousness, explained in terms of the meditative absorption of Akṣobhya. In general, the sublime families categorized by the five aggregates are twenty-five. Furthermore, regarding the earth element, although there are ten—consisting of the outer and inner earth elements blessed by the five Tathāgatas in terms of the meditative absorption of Buddhalocanā—they are counted as five families. Likewise, although there are ten—consisting of the outer and inner water elements blessed by the five Tathāgatas in terms of the meditative absorption of Māmakī—they are counted as five families. Regarding the fire element, explained in terms of the meditative absorption of Pāṇḍaravāsinī...
Regarding the outer and inner fire elements, although they become ten through the influence of the outer and inner [divisions] when blessed by the five Tathāgatas, they are counted as five families. Furthermore, as explained from the perspective of the meditative absorption of Tārā, although the outer and inner wind elements become ten when blessed by the five Tathāgatas, they are counted as five families because they are one in being wind. In general, there are twenty sublime families.
As explained from the perspective of the meditative absorptions of the Bodhisattvas, they become fifty families as follows: through the perspective of the meditative absorption of Kṣitigarbha, there are five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas in the sense base of the eye; through the perspective of the meditative absorption of Vajrapāṇi, there are five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas in the sense base of the ear; through the perspective of the meditative absorption of Ākāśagarbha, there are five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas in the sense base of the nose; through the perspective of the meditative absorption of Lokeśvara, there are five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas in the sense base of the tongue; and through the perspective of the meditative absorption of Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, there are five families blessed by the five Tathāgatas in the sense base of the body. In general, there are one hundred and twenty-five sublime families.
Regarding the objects, as explained from the perspective of the meditative absorptions of the goddesses, they become fifty families as follows:
Regarding the explanation in terms of the meditative absorption of Rūpavajrā: forms are blessed by the five Tathāgatas, which are the five families. Regarding the explanation in terms of the meditative absorption of Śabdavajrā: sounds are blessed by the five Tathāgatas, which are the five families. Regarding the explanation in terms of the meditative absorption of Gandhavajrā: odors are blessed by the five Tathāgatas, which are the five families. Regarding the explanation in terms of the meditative absorption of Rasavajrā: tastes are blessed by the five Tathāgatas, which are the five families. Regarding the explanation in terms of the meditative absorption of Sparśavajrā: all tactile objects are blessed by the five Tathāgatas, which are the five families. In general, these are the one hundred and twenty-five sublime families.
The five wisdoms that enter into those very five stages, and the sublime families in general, are one hundred. As it is said in the Candraguhyatilaka: "The families are explained as being of one hundred types; when condensed into a summary, they are of five types."
Regarding the faculty of the mental consciousness, there are three aspects. It is the master of all faculties; although there are no external objects, by taking the dharmadhātu as its object through individual self-reflexive awareness, it is called the "illusion-like meditative absorption of the Great Vajradhara." It is explained as that which pervades all one hundred families.
As for the phrase "Vajrabodhi and so forth," the Great Vajradhara is here given the alternative name Bodhicittavajra (Vajra of the Mind of Enlightenment).
Together with that, there are appearances ranging from the five families up to a hundred; since all of these were not taught in the Great Root Tantra but are explained and shown in this subsequent tantra, it is called the "Subsequent Tantra" (uttaratantra). Having thus shown the title of the tantra, now, in order to show the title that indicates the meaning of the tantra: "The Bodhicitta, the Knowledge-Being Vajradhara" refers to the following:
"Without beginning or end, peaceful,
The inexhaustible lord of existence and non-existence."
Regarding "Bodhi" (enlightenment): the beginning is the appearance, like the maṇḍala of the moon. The end is the attainment of appearance, like darkness. By implication, the middle is the increase of appearance, like the maṇḍala of the sun. "Non-existent" means that those three appearances of relative truth dissolve into emptiness; that is what is called "peaceful." "Existence" refers to the three appearances of relative truth. "Non-existence" refers to the state of the ultimate truth, where the entities of the three appearances are non-existent and unobservable; this is called "enlightenment" (bodhi). As it says in the Abhisambodhi Tantra:
"Enlightenment has the characteristic of space;
It is free from all conceptualization.
Whoever desires to realize that
Is called a Bodhisattva."
"Lord of Secrets, what is enlightenment? It is the realization of one's own mind exactly as it is; that is the unsurpassed, perfectly complete enlightenment," so it is said. "Inexhaustible lord" refers to the body of union (yuganaddha-kāya), which is called "inexhaustible" or "the lord."
The master Nāgārjuna also said:
"The principal nature of all bliss,
The great being, whether moving or staying,
In terms of dwelling, food, clothing, and so forth,
Is found from space in a single instant.
The lion among men, whose nature is wisdom,
Obtains an inexhaustible body, the cause of all beings without exception."
Regarding the statement, "The indivisibility of emptiness and compassion is called bodhicitta": the principal union itself is the luminosity, and great compassion pervading all sentient beings; that which is inseparable and indivisible is thus designated. As the master Nāgārjuna said:
"Knowing wisdom and compassion as one,
Their union is explained as 'union' (yuganaddha).
This sequence is the sphere of activity of the Buddhas."
Now, to explain the meaning of the term "vidyāpuruṣa" (the person of knowledge): "By the vajras of body, speech, and mind, indivisible..." Here, "body, speech, and mind" refers to the nature of the three appearances, which is called the "person" (puruṣa). "By the vajras" refers to knowledge, the ultimate truth. "Indivisible" means that the person of knowledge, possessing the supreme of all aspects and so forth, is certain. Regarding the phrase, "By the vajras of body, speech, and mind, the very entity of the indivisible": "body, speech, and mind" are the three syllables. "By the vajras" refers to the moon, sun, and lotus, which ultimately become the vajra from the syllables.
From the entities of those [syllables] differentiated individually, the form of the person is generated; this is the meaning of the statement, "the person is generated from the knowledge of the three syllables." This is taught as follows: in the provisional sense, it is the generation of the form body of Vajradhara through the sequence of the four yogas according to the sādhana; in the definitive sense, it is the manifestation of the body of union from the two truths. The name of the Teacher of the Tantra is "Vajradhara, the Person of Knowledge of Bodhicitta." Now, in order to explain the meaning of "Vajradhara," it is said:
"The five causes and the five results
Are explained as 'Vajra'."
Regarding this, the five causes are the five consciousnesses. The five results are the five wisdoms. Because he acts as the Vajra-holder who perfectly demonstrates the five manifest enlightenments of that very [nature], he is Vajradhara; this is the provisional sense. The five causes are the relative truth. The five results are the ultimate truth. The consciousnesses are the three appearances of the mind, and "Vajra" indicates the result of the ultimate truth. "Holder" is renowned as "grasping"; because he acts as the holder of the vajra wisdom that possesses the nature of the two truths, he is Vajradhara; this is the definitive sense. As the master Nāgārjuna also said:
"The samādhi of self-consecration
Is the state of clear light.
Through the distinction of cause and result,
It is taught as the two truths."
Alternatively, to show another perspective, it is said: "The five causes and the five results are taught as the 'Vajra'." This means that these objects and faculties—the appearances of causes and results consisting of the outer and inner—are non-existent because they are naturally luminous. Therefore, phenomena do not exist, and their dharmatā (the nature of phenomena) also does not exist, because phenomena themselves are absent. Consequently, this luminosity of the mental consciousness, which is like space and characterized by selflessness, is called the "Vajra"; because one holds it, one is called the "Holder."
To demonstrate the bodhicitta of Vairocana, it is said: "Beyond existence, non-existence, and the middle; arisen from the elements and from what is derived from the elements; it is the body of all sentient beings." The phrase "arisen from birth" refers to being free from all things that constitute the external vessel-world. "Arisen from the elements and from what is derived from the elements; it is the body of all sentient beings" refers to the aggregates, which are the nature of the elements and sense bases, and are completely free from subject and object. "Beyond existence, non-existence, and the middle" means that the non-dual equality of the selfless nature of phenomena, which is naturally luminous, is "existent" in the sense that it is not eternal, and "non-existent" in the sense that it is not annihilated; it is the equality of phenomena that transcends the middle between those two. "Victorious over birth" means that one's own mind is primordially unborn, the body of the indivisible three vajras, the essence of emptiness, which is the mere object of the eye.
Regarding jinajik: because he possesses the nature of a Victor (jina), he is a Victor. Because he is victorious over the Māras by means of the twelve-spoked wheel of Dharma, he is a Victor; this is the interpretable meaning. Because he overwhelms the four Māras by means of the vajra-like samādhi, he is a Victor; this is the definitive meaning.
To teach the bodhicitta of Ratnasambhava, it says: "By means of feeling, [one feels] feeling." Feeling refers to both contaminated and uncontaminated feelings. Because feeling is definitively without entity and without signs, and because the characteristics of phenomena are not established, it is called "definitive feeling."
If one asks, "How then is the deity’s body generated?" it says: "Because all things arise, the mind is called 'jewel' (ratna)." This means that from the ultimate truth of the dharma of selflessness, [the deity] arises through the stage of self-consecration; it emerges like a precious gem through the force of previous impetus.
Regarding ratnadhṛk: because he holds the jewel that completely fulfills all intentions, he is the "Jewel-Holder" (Ratnadhara); this is the interpretable meaning. Because he holds the jewel of the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi), he is the "Jewel-Holder"; this is the definitive meaning.
To teach the bodhicitta of Amitābha, it says: "By means of the basis of characteristics, the characteristics, and the entity." Here, the "basis of characteristics" refers to the conditioned and the unconditioned. Regarding "characteristics": if the nature of phenomena (dharmatā) is not established, what characteristics could those [phenomena] possess?
It is like the green or white color of the son of a barren woman. "By all" means there is nothing to be meditated upon. "By everyone" means there is no meditation. "In all respects" is because the nature of both the meditator and the object of meditation is non-existent. If one asks, "How then does the deity yoga occur?" it is said: "The definition of joy and its basis." Here, "the definition of joy" refers to the joy of perception, which is the relative truth. "The basis" refers to the fact that, ultimately, all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena lack intrinsic nature. From the union of these two, the deity’s body arises. Regarding "ĀROLIK": "Ā" means without exception; "RO" means saṃsāra; "LIK" means transcending that. Thus, "ĀROLIK" is the interpretable meaning. Alternatively, "Ā" means without exception; "RO" refers to the three wisdoms. Therefore, it is the definitive meaning, as it leads to the ultimate truth. To teach the bodhicitta of Amoghasiddhi: "Consciousness" refers to the relative truth. "Bringing to the ultimate limit" refers to the ultimate truth. The insight that perceives all internal and external entities as having a single essence within the two truths is what is meant. Regarding "when grasping the mental being of conditioned formations": this means that one realizes and grasps the mental being as the indivisibility of cause and effect—the nature of the causal and resultant stages of clear realization.
The thorough knowledge of the inseparability of cause and effect is called the "holder of insight" (prajñādhṛk). Regarding the term prajñādhṛk, its characteristic is that which holds the dharmas in a superior manner; because it holds them, it is the "holder of insight"—this is the interpretable meaning. Insight is the appearance of the moon; because it holds the subtle constituent (dhātu), it is the "holder of insight"—this is the definitive meaning.
Now, to explain the meaning of the "family of hatred" and so forth, first, in order to show the basis of all families:
"The family is explained as the continuum (tantra);
The continuum is said to be the beginning."
In this regard, "family" refers to the continuum of one's own mind. That nature of one's own mind, which from beginningless time has appeared as the illusion-like wisdom in terms of the correct conventional, is called "beginningless," "family," "stream," and "continuum." When that very mind is realized as completely pure, it is called the "authentic family."
"Whatever is indestructible and without birth,"
In this regard, that ultimate continuum of the mind which is without birth is, in terms of the conventional, called "indestructible" because that mental continuum appears in an illusion-like manner. Therefore, that mind which is indestructible and without birth is called the "principal," the "protector," the "basis," the "cause," or the "beginning."
This is what is shown: from the realization that the continuum of one's own mind, appearing in an illusion-like manner, is ultimately without birth or destruction, all families arise in the manner of the five wisdoms. Now, in order to show what is called the "family of hatred":
Regarding the phrase "in the two, cause and effect": from the cause, which is consciousness, the effect, hatred, arises. Because those two are without arising in the wisdom of the dharmadhātu, consciousness itself is called "pure hatred." This is what is being shown: the wrathful one who is the method of great compassion is hatred, and his family is the "hatred family."
To demonstrate ignorance: "Having the nature of binding the insentient." This means that when the continuum of one's own mind appears as the form body (rūpakāya) of the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśajñāna) from within emptiness, it is free from the insentient conceptualizations of subject and object; thus, its nature is called "ignorance." That peaceful disposition is called "form" and "ignorance." This is what is being shown: in order to purify those with deluded minds, that which possesses a peaceful disposition is ignorance, and that is its family.
To demonstrate pride: "By the essence of training in self, feeling is explained as arrogance." Regarding this: the very continuum of one's own mind, which is without arising or ceasing, is the great essence of the disciple training in the wisdom of the equality of self and all phenomena; it is definitively arrogance. This is what is being shown: because it fulfills all intentions, authentic feeling is the wish-fulfilling jewel, and that is its family.
To demonstrate desire: "Characterized by attachment to entities, perception is the nature of authentic attachment." Regarding this:
The very non-dual continuum of one’s own mind appears as the wisdom of individual discernment; thus, it is characterized by compassion for all phenomena and by the perception of authentic wisdom that is attached to the ultimate reality. This is what is meant by that term. To demonstrate this, it is said: "The universal attachment of the wisdom of individual discernment is passion; that is the family."
To demonstrate envy, it is said: "The nature of being led by conditions / Is the perception that is always envy." This means that the very non-dual continuum of the mind appears as the wisdom of all-accomplishing action. Drawn forth by the condition of the samaya of great compassion, it is the nature of authentic formative activity that delivers sentient beings. It is called "envy" because it does not allow for any interval in performing the welfare of other beings. That itself is called the "samaya family."
Now, to summarize the meaning of what has been taught: "In all the origins of existence, / The very essence is the mind of awakening." This means that although all the characteristics of existence, such as passion and so forth, appear to arise from the desires of the mind, in the ultimate sense, they are explained as the unborn nature of the mind of awakening. This concludes the summary of the five families.
Now, to demonstrate the meaning of the mantras of the four consorts, beginning with moharatī, it is said: "Of various similar samayas," and so forth. Moharatī refers to Delusion-Vairocana.
In that regard, "delighting in delusion" is the interpretable meaning. Regarding the phrase "practicing pride within the accumulations of non-dual wisdom," practicing authentic pride within the non-dual wisdom that is the purification of delusion is [the literal sense of] "delusion"; thus, "delighting in delusion" is the definitive meaning. Regarding "mutual harming is called hatred," hatred is Akṣobhya. Delighting in that [hatred] is "delighting in hatred," which is the interpretable meaning. Delighting in mutual harm within the state of the purification of the affliction of hatred is "delighting in hatred," which is the definitive meaning. Regarding "the characteristic is attachment to desire," desire is Amitābha. The characteristic of being attached to and following after that is Pāṇḍaravāsinī; this is the interpretable meaning. Attachment to the purification of the characteristic of desire is "delighting in desire," which is the definitive meaning. Regarding "the method of wisdom is explained as the vajra," the vajra is Amoghasiddhi. Delighting in the method of wisdom therein is "delighting in the vajra," which is the interpretable meaning. Delighting in the method of vajra-wisdom is "delighting in the vajra," which is the definitive meaning. In order to show the words of the summary by the Mother of the perfect purpose: "The supreme enjoyment of perfected delight," this means that by practicing together with these four goddesses of delight, one accomplishes the supreme enjoyment of bliss of all the Tathāgatas. "The perfection of the supreme bliss of women," this means:
Because he is the supreme lord of desire, he accomplishes the qualities of the excellent consort and the perfect samaya. "Ignorance" and so forth are those explained above. These are the methods of the Buddhas, the Vajrayāna, which is also called the Non-dual Vehicle. Now, in order to teach the mantras of the four great wrathful deities, it is said: "The nature of indestructible phenomena," and so forth. "The nature of indestructible phenomena" means that, conventionally, all physical phenomena are like an illusion and are thus called "indestructible." "The essence of the unborn" means that, ultimately, they are unborn and without arising. Since phenomena do not transcend the appearance of the two truths in that way, and because they are liberated from the Yamāntaka of permanence and nihilism through the samaya of all things, he is called Yamāntakṛt. To teach the mantra of Aparājita, it says: "The phenomena of the consciousness and the eye-self." The phenomena of the mental aspect of consciousness are not truly real; ultimately, they do not change into the nature of phenomena (dharmatā). Since that purity of subject and object does not transcend the samaya of the mind, it is insight; thus, the mind is called "liberation at the limit of reality." To teach the mantra of Hayagrīva, it says: "The phenomena of the inexpressible self." Regarding this, the names expressed by speech and the conceptualizations of the mind regarding forms are realized as inexpressible in the ultimate sense. Since this is not to transcend the samaya of phenomena, it is the perfection of the limit of speech.
In order to demonstrate the meaning of Amṛtakuṇḍalin, it says: "The phenomena whose nature is non-conceptual..." This means that realizing the phenomena of the three—body, speech, and mind—as empty and peaceful is the "vajra of all," which is said to be the samaya (vow) that all Buddhas do not transcend. The phrase "indestructible" and so forth is a summary of the chapter.
Having thus taught the definitive meaning of the four wrathful deities, now, in order to teach the four wrathful deities through both the interpretable and definitive meanings, it says: "Delusion" is the darkness of ignorance. "By enjoying delusion" refers to the ultimate truth of authentic delusion; because he brings that to its conclusion and destroys it, he is Yamāntaka, which is the interpretable meaning. As for "Yamāntaka," Yama refers to hell; because the Blessed One brings that to its conclusion and destroys it through the meditative absorption of a great wrathful deity, the body does not go to the lower realms. Thus, he brings the body to its end. For that reason, through the purification of ignorance, the cognitive obscurations are purified and brought to an end; this is the definitive meaning.
"By enjoying the exhaustion of faults" means that because he destroys the faults of the afflictions through insight, he exhausts those faults and is thus Prajñāntaka, which is the interpretable meaning. The "nature of conceptualization" is insight, which is the fault. Because the fault of that is exhausted by enjoying the fault of luminosity, he is Prajñāntaka. Thus, by purifying the mind, he brings the afflictive obscurations to an end; this is the definitive meaning.
"By enjoying desire through passion" means that, through the meditative absorption of passion, just as a lotus is unsullied by water, one is not defiled by the afflictions. Because one enjoys the perversions and thereby destroys them, it is the "Lotus Destroyer" (Padmāntaka); this is the interpretable meaning. "Lotus" refers to the birth-place. "End" refers to the interior; because the two organs of passion enter into union there, it generates the bliss of supreme joy, the method of bliss, and thus destroys perverse passion. Therefore, it is the "Destroyer of Attachment." Likewise, meditative union is passion, and it becomes the destroyer of that; this is the definitive meaning.
"Whatever exhausts all afflictions" indicates the meditative absorption of Amṛtakuṇḍalin. "Afflictions" are ignorance, faults, and passion. Whatever exhausts all of those, as well as the exhaustion of the wisdom and cognitive obscurations, the afflictive obscurations, and all conceptualizations of the obscurations of meditative union regarding the actions of body, speech, and mind—that is what is meant by that term. Thus, because all afflictions, obscurations, and karma are completely purified, the fruit of great wisdom is called "Amṛtakuṇḍalin" (Nectar-Swirling).
"Destroyer of Obstacles" (Vighnāntaka) means that it destroys and annihilates many thousands of malevolent spirits; this is the interpretable meaning. "Obstacles" refers to the four [humors]; because they afflict the body through their increase and decrease, they are called "obstacles."
Because they cause destruction through the arising of the wisdom of skillful means, they are the "Vighnāntaka" (Destroyer of Obstacles); this is the definitive meaning. In order to teach the six wrathful deities in connection with the four great wrathful ones, it says, "Grasping and attachment itself," and so forth. To clarify which six wrathful deities they are, it is taught: "The six, such as Rāgarāja (King of Desire)," which is to be applied in sequence as follows: "Rāgarāja, Nīladaṇḍa, Balabhadra, Acala, Cakravartin above, and Sumbharāja below." Regarding the phrase, "From the six, the mind arises," the six consciousnesses and so forth of the six wrathful deities are to be applied in sequence.
Having thus taught the thirteen deities of the introductory section and the six wrathful deities, now, in order to teach the other maṇḍalas that arise incidentally, it says, "Samayavajra," and so forth. "Samayavajra" is Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin. "And so forth" refers to: Kāyavajra is Kṣitigarbha; Vāgvajra is Lokeśvara; Cittavajra is Vajrapāṇi; Samādhivajra is Ākāśagarbha; and Jina-vajra is Maitreya, making six. "Earth" is Buddhalocanā. "And so forth" refers to: Water is Māmakī; Fire is Pāṇḍaravāsinī; Wind is Samayatārā; and Space is Mañjuśrī. "Arise" refers to the four consorts. "Derived from the elements" refers to the six sense faculties, which are the bodhisattvas. "Contact" refers to the goddesses. "Victors" refers to the bodhisattvas.
Regarding the phrase "Rūpavajrā and so forth," this refers to the six: Rūpavajrā, Śabdavajrā, Gandhavajrā, Rasavajrā, Sparśavajrā, and Dharmadhātuvajrā, as well as Samantabhadra. Having thus taught the complete and perfect maṇḍala up to that point, because Vajradhara is the lord of all those [deities], he is described as the "Lord of Vajras." Therefore, while thirteen deities are taught in the Root Tantra, the Subsequent Tantra supplements this with thirty-two deities. Because it is taught that such deities are emanations of the Great Vajradhara and arise from the three syllables, it is said: "From the vajras of body, speech, and mind, the Great Being causes all thirty-two deities to emerge."
Now, in order to teach the conduct of the yogi, it is said: "Arising from method and insight," and so forth. Possessing the conduct that arises from the method of yogic conduct and the wisdom of conduct—namely, the conduct with elaboration, without elaboration, and utterly without elaboration—one applies the thirty-two deities, known as the aggregates, to the completion stage. Through that application, one should resolve that the very certainty of the three appearances is "all-pure," meaning the clear light.
In order to teach the marvelous conduct, it says: "Having abandoned all fears," which refers to the māras such as demons and gods. "Without apprehension" refers to the lower realms and so forth.
Regarding the term "lion," the conduct to be practiced like a lion is to realize all phenomena as being like an illusion and to perfectly fulfill the welfare of beings through great compassion. To explain that lion-like conduct in detail, it is said: "There is nothing here that should not be done," and so forth. "The application of meditative equipoise and non-equipoise" means that, through realizing all phenomena as being like an illusion, there is no conceptualization of being in or out of meditative equipoise; because one wanders like a universal madman, it is called "universal conduct." This conduct is twofold: as for the conduct of a bodhisattva, whether it contradicts worldly norms or not, practitioners of mantra should engage in whatever manner will perfectly fulfill the welfare of sentient beings to the best of their ability. As for the conduct of a Tathāgata, the conduct of those individuals who are like jewels, reciting and chanting the reality of suchness, is designated as the "completion stage." This is because the very conduct performed through the application of non-equipoise is the complete transformation of one's own nature in this very life.
Now, to show the etymological definition of "mantra" (sngags), it says: "By means of the faculties and the objects." This means that the mind and mental factors, as well as the ignorant mind, are called "man" (maṃ) due to the conditions of the five faculties, such as the eyes, and the five objects, such as forms. "Tra" (tra) means "to protect." Thus, the mind and mental factors, and...
Ignorance and the three—appearance, increase of appearance, and attainment of appearance; insight, method, and near-attainment; and emptiness, very emptiness, and great emptiness—having understood these conventionally, at the time of realizing the ultimate truth of the emptiness of all things, one protects the mind from the one hundred and sixty natural [afflictions]; therefore, it is called "mantra." To demonstrate the conduct of mantra: "Completely liberated from worldly conduct" means that by possessing that conduct, one is liberated from the various worldly activities. Furthermore, what is that? "The previously explained samayas and vows" means that the yogi practicing and guarding those samayas and vows previously taught in the seventeenth chapter of the Root Tantra—concerning the deities, nāgas, asuras, rākṣasas, piśācas, ḍākinīs, and so forth—is called the "conduct of mantra." Now, to demonstrate the recitation: "The essence of each and every one," and so forth, is taught. "Each and every one" refers to the Body, Speech, Mind, Jewel, and Unimpeded. "Essence" is the culmination of the single Vajradhara. "Contemplating the heart-essence with the mind" means one should understand the three syllables OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ as the nature of entering, abiding, and arising. "By the divisions of the secret mantra recitation" means that for each deity, there are also the three divisions of Body, Speech, and Mind. "Reciting, emanating, and absorbing" means emanating them individually and distinctly.
It performs the activity of being extracted from the maṇḍala of one’s own body. To demonstrate the application of the union: "The Buddha, the Lord of the Viśvavajra, is gathered by the seeds of wisdom." This refers to the description of the emanated deity’s body; it is the movement from the [original] abode and the radiation [of emanations]. One should establish [the emanations] as the very nature of the aggregates and so forth, and during the stage of union, one should thoroughly gather them, meaning they should be placed within the mental focus of meditative concentration.
"The practitioner of the vow should grasp selflessness through the seed of selfless awakening." This means that awakening is the absence of entities and selflessness in the three—body, speech, and mind. "Vow" refers to the specific wisdom characterized by individual discernment; one should grasp selflessness, radiate [emanations], and make them clear.
"Diverse, likewise diverse, they are radiated." This means that through the divisions of body, speech, and mind, they are emitted and radiated from the maṇḍala of one’s own body as described above.
"Recite with the seeds of the three times." Regarding this: the seed syllable OṂ of the Vajra Body is the recitation of the body, which is the practice of the absence of both the apprehended object and the apprehending subject. The seed syllable ĀḤ of the Vajra Speech is the manifest awakening to sounds, both articulated and unarticulated. The seed syllable HŪṂ of the Vajra Mind is the recitation of the mind, which is the seeking of the mind exactly as it is through manifest awakening.
Having thus explained the mental recitation, now, to demonstrate the verbal recitation: "Recitation is renowned as speaking." This means:
Regarding the expulsion and so forth performed during the samaya of the wrathful deities such as Yamāntaka and others, one utters sounds and speaks with one’s own tongue, such that it is heard by oneself or others. "All speech is recitation" refers to the mantra words such as "nirmāṇa" and so forth. "Mantra is invocation" means sounding with the tongue and reciting in speech. "Speaking to exhort that very [deity]" means exhorting the maṇḍala of one’s own deity.
To demonstrate the meaning of sealing, "Just as the mind and so forth are blessed" means that after blessing the body, speech, and mind, the wisdom-being (jñānasattva) is generated, and the concentration-being (samādhisattva) should be understood in the same way. Having thus sealed with the four mudrās, to demonstrate how the crown ornament is to be applied, "Empowerment upon their heads" means placing the deities upon the heads of the respective deities. "Likewise, the universal offering" means that after making offerings to the deities who confer empowerment, one makes the request and the empowerment is bestowed.
"Whichever Vajradhara there may be, the application of possessing knowledge, and likewise the self-consecration and so forth" means that for the deities of the maṇḍala, it is as taught in the fifteenth chapter of the Root Tantra: Vajrasattva confers empowerment upon the head of Vajradhara. Knowledge refers to Locanā and the others, who are each empowered by Vairocana and so forth. Likewise, the Vajra family is empowered by Akṣobhya. The Tathāgata family is empowered by Kāyavajra.
The Lotus family is empowered by Vāgvajra. The Jewel family is empowered by Ratnasambhava. The Action family is empowered by Amoghasiddhi. Therefore, one should understand that the blessing of the crown is likewise applied to oneself. "Thus, one should know the four enjoyments" refers to the four mudrās.
Having thus shown the crown of the maṇḍala deities, now, in order to show the crown of the solitary hero, it says: "Of the solitary hero Vajra," and so forth. There are also three ways of the crown: the "essence" refers to the three syllables Oṃ Āḥ Hūṃ. The "mudrā" is the body of the deity. The "mantra" is Vajradhṛk and so forth. "Self-awareness" has already been explained. The "result" refers to Akṣobhya and the others. The "cause" is Vajradhara.
To show the origin of phenomena (dharmodaya), it says: "Perfectly endowed with the four enjoyments," and so forth. The "four enjoyments" are the Vajra Body, Vajra Speech, Vajra Mind, and the Wisdom Being (jñānasattva). "Perfectly endowed" and so forth. The "vidyāpuruṣa" (knowledge-being) is the Great Vajradhara. Regarding the "triangle," one should meditate on the dharmodaya as a triangle, which is the division of Body, Speech, and Mind. In order to meditate on the wheel of the command outside of that, it says: "The yellow wheel on all sides." One meditates on the dharmodaya in the center, and in its center, one meditates on the vidyāpuruṣa Vajradhara. "On all the spokes are the ten wrathful deities" means:
On the ten spokes, one should meditate upon the wrathful deities such as Yamāntaka and the rest within the maṇḍala of meditative concentration. This is for the purpose of commanding them to protect and repel obstructors of the directions, such as Indra and the other guardians, and to protect the practitioners' minds from distraction. Regarding the term "vajra of cessation," "abiding with one-pointedness" means that it revolves like the immovable. This refers to the deities revolving without wavering. "Buddha" refers to the wisdom of a buddha.
Now, in order to show the summary of the tantra: "The teaching of the Dharma of Vajradhara." Regarding this, because he acts as the holder of the vajra, he is the "Vajradhara"; this is the literal meaning. Because he acts as the holder of the vajra through the nature of the five wisdoms, such as the mirror-like wisdom and so forth, he is the "Vajradhara"; this is the general meaning. Because he acts as the holder of the body whose nature is mind, he is the "Vajradhara"; this is the hidden meaning. The vajra is non-dual wisdom; because he acts as the holder of its very essence, he is the "Vajradhara"; this is the ultimate meaning.
Regarding "the stage of generation itself": first, there is the determination of the place, focusing on great compassion, focusing on the wheel of command and the protection wheel, focusing on emptiness, generating the celestial mansion as the portion of the earth, generating the deities through intense resolve, resting in the ultimate maṇḍala, again focusing on the sun, and finally focusing on the moon maṇḍala.
The generation of the Great Vajradhara, the blessing by means of mantra, the purification of the aggregates and so forth, the blessing of the body, speech, and mind, the meditation on the three nested beings, the joining and blessing of the vajra and lotus, passion, the mantras of offering, the inner maṇḍala, the emanated maṇḍala, verbal recitation, vajra recitation, entering into the ultimate, the exhortation, the praise, the withdrawal, the activities of supreme engagement with mantra, the activities of supreme engagement with the internal, the meditative concentration on food, and the accomplishment of the eight common siddhis—these are the generation stage. Likewise, there is the completion stage. These are the suchness of mantra, the suchness of the mudrā, the suchness of the self, and the suchness of wisdom. "Accomplishment" refers to the collection of activities for drawing the maṇḍala, the eight siddhis, and the accomplishment of buddhahood itself. "Diligence" refers to the exhortation of the essence-mantra of one’s own deity, who possesses both outer and inner nature, in order to manifest the desired siddhi. "Likewise" refers to the fifth, seventh, ninth, and seventeenth chapters of the Root Tantra. Regarding the "samaya vows," these are the conduct of yoga, the marvelous conduct, and the samayas and vows. As it is said: "Previously, all of these were explained in detail, distinguished by the divisions of the stages."
This was clearly explained in the previous root chapters. To show this, the summary of the tantra is as follows: the generation stage, the completion stage, the accomplishment of the maṇḍala, the earnest invocation of the essence, the conduct of yoga, the marvelous conduct, the samayas, and the distinctions in the sequence of the vows—these were taught in the previous root tantra. This is the summary that condenses the meaning of the tantra.
In order to teach the meditative concentrations of the three—attachment, aversion, and delusion—it is said: "Desire for forms, sounds, and so forth," and so on. Bliss is attachment; suffering is aversion. "Those desires are equal to the samaya" means that they are taught as the samaya of the all-empty clear light.
Now, in order to teach the two—the aspect with form and the aspect without form—it is said: "With aspects and without aspects." The three syllables are OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ. The three levels are body, speech, and mind. "Pure secrets" refers to the three families. Having thus briefly shown the samādhi through these three, now, in order to explain them in detail, it says: "The yogi through the application of aversion." Regarding this, when Akṣobhya is generated from the complete transformation of the Great Vajradhara, one meditates on the vajra and so forth in the hands, generates the maṇḍala deities, and meditates on light rays radiating from the vajra in the hand, focusing on the Tathāgatas who have appeared in the three times.
By that, they are pulverized and destroyed. Through such radiation and reabsorption, the fierce collection of activities becomes empowered, and mastery over the mind is attained.
Regarding the line, "The yogi, through the application of delusion, generates the wheel of delusion": one should meditate on Vairocana as the principal deity of the maṇḍala and emanate the retinue of Akṣobhya and the others. One should then recite and invoke whichever ornaments, such as precious jewels, correspond to the color of whichever Tathāgata they belong to. Having thus perfectly dispatched all the Tathāgatas, the practitioner should bind the desired class of jewels with nooses of white light and so forth, and hold them motionless. Then, having drawn them in with the hook of the syllable Hrīḥ arising from the lotus of one's own tongue, in order to place them within one's own home, it says: "Completely filled with all jewels." This is for the sake of purifying the stains of the affliction of avarice; thus it says: "Meditate on the ocean of the mind of delusion." "He causes a rain of generosity to fall" means that thereafter, one should cause a rain of generosity to fall and give to those who are destitute.
Regarding the line, "Having generated the wheel of passion": from the complete transformation of the Great Vajradhara, Amitābha is generated, and the deities of the maṇḍala are emanated, pure, throughout the entire interior of the celestial palace. Regarding the line, "By seizing all the goddesses": this refers to the preliminary stages such as pleasing the male and female deities of the maṇḍala.
Having joined the vajra and lotus in union, one should experience joy and engage in the play of self-enjoyment for a moment. To demonstrate its qualities, it is taught by the passage beginning, "That which arises in the three realms," and so forth. Now, to demonstrate the purpose of engaging in that conduct, "The maṇḍala and" refers to the maṇḍala produced by the generation stage and the maṇḍala of the body, speech, and mind of the union emanated by the completion stage. "Empowerment" refers to the secret, the wisdom-gnosis, and the fourth empowerments. "The supreme path, the accumulations" refers to the accumulations that are supremely devoted to the internal. "The path of accomplishment" means that these are accomplished by relying upon the mudrā. This is the interpretable meaning. The definitive meaning is explained in the ninth chapter of the Sandhivyākaraṇa. It is taught as follows: the samaya of hatred becomes the luminosity of ignorance, transforming into the body whose nature is wisdom. The samaya of delusion is that which accomplishes perfect enlightenment. The samaya of desire is taught as the union of the two truths, having joined them in equipoise with the four empties. "Vajra-net, source of jewels" means that from the complete transformation of the Great Vajradhara, one meditates on Ratnaśrī and emanates the maṇḍala deities to fill the celestial palace; because all the meanings gathered by harsh, merciless speech arise, one should speak [thus]. This is the interpretable meaning.
"The words that teach the non-existence of the aggregates and so forth, and the false speech regarding the ultimate reality—if these are blessed, enlightenment will be attained." This refers to the meaning of the Tathāgata. Regarding the phrase, "The samaya is like a jewel," one should meditate on Amoghasiddhi arising from the complete transformation of the Great Vajradhara, and subsequently meditate on the entire maṇḍala. Then, one should meditate that all sentient beings also abide in that very state. Since all phenomena are like an illusion, one abides in the meaning of the vajra words, "All phenomena are false." To meditate on expressing words with an essence that is like a deceiver toward all Tathāgatas and all sentient beings is the interpretable meaning.
"Whoever considers all these—the outer, the inner, and the great self—to be false, and who is liberated from the bonds of conceptual thought, that is enlightenment; this is the Amoghasamaya." This is the definitive meaning. To show the meaning of the maṇḍala: "The bhaga is known as the maṇḍala," refers to the maṇḍala that abides within and is projected outward. "The maṇḍala of bodhicitta" refers to the ultimate maṇḍala. "The maṇḍala of the body" refers to the maṇḍala of the body, which is the arrangement of the thirty-two deities within the body of Vajradhara. To show the meaning of the arrangement of the mudrās: "The aggregates, elements, and sense bases," is said in order to explain the detailed maṇḍala of the body mentioned above; the very act of arranging the deities within the body is called the "arrangement of the mudrās."
Now, in order to arrange the deities of the maṇḍala previously taught within the maṇḍala, the mudrās must be established. The thirteen deities were taught in the fourth chapter; in order to teach the mudrās of the remaining ones, the mudrās of the six wrathful deities, the eight bodhisattvas, the five goddesses, and the four consorts are taught by the passage beginning with "hook and staff."
To explain the meaning of "flower," the phrase "nine goddesses" refers to the life-sustaining wind, the downward-clearing wind, the upward-moving wind, the circulating wind, the perfectly circulating wind, the intensely circulating wind, the definitely circulating wind, and the all-pervading circulating wind. The "space element" refers to the pervasive wind. "Body, speech, and mind" refers to the winds characterized by entering, abiding, and arising. "The sequence of families" should be understood as those very winds being known as the three syllables, and should be recognized as teaching the mantras of the three families.
To explain the meaning of "stūpa," the celestial palace of the maṇḍala, which is of the nature of the four kinds of jewels, is similar to a stūpa; therefore, it is said: "The stūpa is explained to be the palace, the dwelling place of all the Buddhas."
To explain the meaning of the "wisdom wheel," the phrase "whatever wisdom being is touched" means that the light rays from the seed syllable at the heart of the wheel of all the Tathāgatas touch the wisdom maṇḍala. To show what the seed syllable of that very [wisdom] is:
Regarding the phrase "the syllables of the three unchanging vajras," this refers to OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ. In order to demonstrate the four [actions] such as exhortation and so forth, it says: "The reality of body, speech, and mind is the three syllables." "To awaken" means to offer supplications and exhortations by the command of the Great Vajradhara, specifically through Yamāntaka. "In the world systems of the ten directions" refers to applying that very samaya to the noble ones and accomplishing the purpose of the samaya, which is Amṛtakuṇḍalī and the emptiness of samaya. "Inviting all the Vajra-holders" is the summoning of the samaya; by summoning them from that samaya and joining them with their names, they are made into the samaya because they cannot be overcome by others. "In that place of the Vajra-holders" refers to the binding of the samaya; Hayagrīva binds them there and, through fierce means, joins and binds them with certainty. To demonstrate the meaning of conferring empowerment, it says: "By the vajras of body, speech, and mind, in the maṇḍala of body, speech, and mind." This refers to the maṇḍalas of Vairocana, Amitābha, and Akṣobhya. "The divisions of empowerment are three; they are thoroughly examined in this tantra" is the summary. "The vase empowerment is the first" means that after bestowing the knowledge empowerments, the master empowerment should be conferred. Furthermore, according to the guru’s pith instructions, this involves the preliminary ritual of admitting the disciple, binding the deity upon the disciple’s head, removing the blindfold, and showing the maṇḍala.
Having performed the ritual of bathing by means of the vase transformed into Akṣobhya, the empowerment by means of meditating on Ratnasambhava in the crown ornament, the empowerment by means of meditating on Amitābha in the vajra, the empowerment by means of meditating on Amoghasiddhi in the bell, the showing of the mirror, the empowerment by meditating on Vairocana at the crown of the head, the bestowing of the samayas of the five families, and the master empowerment, the mandala and the suchness of the deities are shown to the disciple. Then, the vows, the prophecy as Śākyamuni, the encouragement by the Vajra Holder, the permission, and so forth—these nine empowerments, which are the conferral of the knowledge empowerments in the mandala emanated as the Great Vajradhara, constitute the ritual of the vase empowerment.
Regarding the second, the secret empowerment, it is taught in detail by the passage beginning: "One with wide eyes is a fit vessel for mantra." Because they are fit vessels for mantra, they are "wide-eyed" with respect to the non-dual mudrā. "Flower" refers to the self-arisen [blood]. "Seed" refers to the semen. As for the "secret empowerment," this ritual characterized by the meditative union of method and insight is called the "secret offering of suchness," because it directly realizes the purification of the states of the afflictions belonging to the families of desire, the absence of desire, and intermediate desire. "Mantra practitioner" refers to the master. "Bestowed upon the disciples" is as it appears below. "The expanse of space" refers to—
From the union of the master and consort in the space of the vajra and lotus, the phrase "endowed with urine and semen" refers to the addition of the subsequent nectars. This is what is taught: according to the ritual performed by the disciple, just as [the substances] reside within the beautiful body, the seed syllables such as OṂ and so forth are blessed as the five families, such as Vairocana and the rest. Through the ritual of meditative union, the bodhicitta is placed in a conch shell or similar vessel and mixed with urine. Preceded by verses of auspiciousness and so forth, the disciple is to be empowered.
"The bodhicitta, the blazing jewel, is extracted;
It drenches the bodies of all the Victors without exception.
This water of wisdom, arising from the pure vajra,
Is the stainless jewel; I bestow the general empowerment."
The disciple, with the intention of not wavering from awakening, should consume it and partake of it, thinking, "I shall satisfy the Tathāgatas residing within my own body." The guru, for his part, should teach the conventional instructions exactly as they are, illustrating the twelve examples of illusion that have come down through the lineage of the gurus' oral instructions of all the Buddhas.
Having thus taught the secret empowerment, now, in order to teach the most secret empowerment, it says: "Through the union of the vajra and lotus, all the Vajra-holders are perfectly gathered." This means that having generated the vajra from the syllable HŪṂ and the lotus from the syllable A, light rays are radiated from the junction of the vajra and lotus.
All the buddhas of the ten directions are gathered together and abide within the maṇḍala of one’s own four bodies, consisting of the thirty-two deities. These are withdrawn into one’s own heart, brought forth in the form of seed-syllables through the vajra path, and then placed into the mouth of the disciple. Regarding the phrase "the supreme state of conferring empowerment": this is the ritual for the supreme secret empowerment. Its qualities are shown by the passage beginning with "the supreme sovereign of activities" and so forth. Furthermore, from the Guhyasamājamahātantra:
Drawn forth from the vajra and lotus,
The thick one and the lord of empowerment
Should be placed within the Vajra-holder;
Eternal joy, great bliss—
Uttering this samaya, "Kye ma!"
One should take up the vajra.
This is called "secret,"
The supreme method of conferring empowerment.
The great vajra master himself
Places the vajra in his own mouth.
When drawn forth by the Great Being,
One attains the bliss of the mind’s awakening.
This is the supreme secret,
The bliss of conferring empowerment.
To disciples who are ignorant,
None of these should be proclaimed.
The vajra master should perform
This action again and again with discernment.
As soon as empowerment is conferred by this,
The disciple becomes a lord of the assembly.
He will comfortably become a master
Of the buddhas and vajra-holders.
The pure self of the consorts,
Explained as the vajra of the buddhas,
Will engage in the conduct of the sky-goers,
The lord of mountains and all beings.
Therefore, the wisdom-gnosis empowerment
Should be bestowed upon the supreme disciple.
Thus it is said.
Having thus conferred the secret empowerment, now, in order to confer the wisdom-gnosis empowerment, it is taught by the words, "Supremely faithful and of great insight," and so forth. The characteristics of the wisdom consort are: great faith, great insight, beautiful form, devotion to the practitioner, familiarity with yoga, and possession of the samaya; she is to be offered to the guru. The guru then blesses her as will be described below, and she is to be given to the practitioner according to the ritual that follows.
As for the detailed explanation of the method of blessing: "The deluded one joins himself with delusion." This means that the yogi meditates on himself as Vairocana, and blesses the consort as the Delusion-Blissful Lady (Moharatī). If one confers the empowerment while abiding in the stream of Vairocana’s gnosis, one becomes Vairocana.
To demonstrate the conduct of awareness (vidyā-vrata), the ritual for giving the wisdom consort to the disciple is taught: "That very goddess of awareness..." This refers to whichever mother has been blessed above. "In the hand" means that the consort’s hand is placed in the disciple’s hand, and the master’s hand is placed on the disciple’s head. The verse of instruction to the disciple is taught by the words, "By other means, one does not attain buddhahood," and so forth. The meaning of this is as follows: the disciple, through the stages of outer awakening and inner awakening, [realizes] passion and the absence of passion...
To manifest the wisdom of clear light through the gradual stages of intermediate passion and to accomplish Mahāmudrā, one must obtain the wisdom-knowledge empowerment (prajñājñānābhiṣeka). The fourth [empowerment] has not been explained by me. Now, in order to teach the method for consuming the nectar (amṛta), regarding the line "Regarding the phenomena of the ordinary body," one should bless the five substances arising from oneself—feces, urine, semen, blood, and saliva—as the five wisdoms and then consume them. Regarding "Ignite and likewise burn," one should visualize a wind maṇḍala arising from yaṃ and upon it a fire maṇḍala arising from raṃ, and meditate on a lotus kapāla arising from aṃ. Then, the wind causes the fire to blaze, and by boiling the nectar with the fire, it is transformed into the form of nectar. Regarding "Arising from the vajra hūṃ," one should meditate on a five-pronged vajra marked by hūṃ arising from hūṃ in the sky upon a sun disk, and the nectar itself marked by the syllable oṃ. Through the light rays of oṃ, [substances] are gathered, and through the light rays of hūṃ, they are transformed into nectar. Furthermore, by emitting light rays similar to those from the point of union of oneself as the Father and Mother, the wisdom nectar of the ten directions is drawn in with hooks and falls as nectar, which is then to be consumed. Regarding "One should consume with the application of eating," one who possesses the yoga of one's own deity should purify the throat and neck. To show the five heroes, regarding the line "By the ritual of the siddhi to be accomplished," this refers to the ritual of the five nectars explained above. By that ritual, the five heroes are the five meats; one should meditate on them as oṃ āḥ hūṃ and then consume them.
Regarding the question, "What is the lowest siddhi like?", in order to explain the meaning: the siddhis such as invisibility and so forth—namely, invisibility, the superknowledges, the vidyādhara state, the command of servants, and the various collections of activities—are the ordinary siddhis, which are shared in common with gods, humans, yakṣas, and others. As stated in the explanatory tantra, the Questions of the Four Goddesses:
"Pills, eye salve, and the siddhi of the underworld,
The siddhi of the sword, flying in the sky,
Eye salve, immortality, and the subduing of disease—
These are known as the eight siddhis."
In order to show the supreme siddhi, "the attainment of buddhahood itself" refers to the siddhi of Mahāmudrā, which is the non-dual wisdom characterized by the union of the twenty-one branches; this is what is called "the supreme siddhi of the Buddhas." It is explained that this is taught as the "unassailable resultant tantra."
Because the Guhyasamāja Tantra is renowned as a "tantra of methods," regarding the phrase "the four types of methods," the phrase "in all yoga tantras" refers to all tantras that teach non-duality. Regarding the phrase "the first is the ritual of approach," and so forth, the Bodhisattva Vajradhara taught that the yogas of the two stages—the generation stage and the completion stage—are subsumed within the four branches of approach and accomplishment. In order to explain the four branches of approach and accomplishment in detail according to the manner of the two stages, [it says]: "By the distinction between the common and the supreme..."
Regarding the statement, "The approach is taught to be of two types," it is said that there are two because one achieves the common accomplishments by generating the pleasing of Vajrasattva through the sequence of the four applications, and one achieves the supreme accomplishment by generating the completion stage of the Great Vajradhara through the six branches. In this regard, this tantra teaches the four branches of approach and accomplishment for the generation stage and the four branches of approach and accomplishment for the completion stage; of these, the approach and accomplishment of the completion stage are taught first.
First, regarding the approach, there are two: the common approach of the four [vajras] of Vajradhara, and the supreme approach which teaches the supreme nectar of wisdom. To demonstrate the four vajras, it says: "First, the awakening of emptiness." This refers to meditating on emptiness through the meditation on the non-existence of entities and so forth, and then, having generated the form of the Great Seal through the arrangement of syllables such as the placement of the three syllables, generating the deities by means of the arrangement of syllables in the sense bases, the syllables of body, speech, and mind, the samādhi-sattva, the body of the consort, the syllables of the vajra and lotus, the syllables of emanation, and so forth; this is the interpretable meaning.
For those abiding in the supreme accomplishment, the four vajras are the four types of emptiness. One should strive to perform the approach through these in order to attain the state of the Great Vajradhara. To demonstrate the supreme nectar of wisdom, it is taught by the passage beginning: "The supreme nectar of wisdom itself."
Supreme wisdom is the wisdom of clear light. "Nectar itself" refers to that which is accomplished by the seed-drop. It is taught that its method is accomplished through the six-fold yoga and not by any other means. To demonstrate the six-fold yoga, the phrase "withdrawal and so forth" is the brief presentation. To explain it in detail, the phrase "the ten faculties" refers to the five sense faculties and the objects of the sense faculties; both are called "faculties." "Their own engagement and abiding" means that the ten faculties, along with their objects and subjects, engage by way of the nature of the apprehended and the apprehender. Because they engage therein, it is called "their own engagement and abiding." "All" refers to the distinctions of inferior, intermediate, and supreme. "Desired" means that which is to be desired and craved, such as forms and so forth. Regarding "withdrawal": because the faculties repeatedly and individually withdraw and take up those objects, it is called "withdrawal"; this is the explanation of the first branch. To demonstrate the second branch for the purpose of purifying withdrawal, it is said: "the five desired objects." These are the five desired objects that have become the domains of the five faculties, such as forms and so forth. "In brief" means having become one with the five faculties. "By joining them to the five Buddhas" means that the joining of the eyes and so forth through perfect union is the joining to the five Buddhas; therefore, forms and the rest are also Buddhas.
"Analyze it; this is explained as meditative concentration." Regarding the phrase "is explained": it is explained as the meditative concentration of total purity that has become thus. Furthermore, it becomes fivefold through the divisions of conceptualization and so forth; "conceptualization" and so forth is the brief presentation. To show the detailed classification:
"The analysis of the arising of the three secrets,"
Regarding this: the "three secrets" are the five sense faculties, the objects, and the sensory consciousnesses—these are the three secrets. "Analysis" refers to the analysis that the five sense faculties, the sensory consciousnesses, and their objects are the nature of the five Tathāgatas.
"Enjoying that" means that the thorough engagement with that very [nature] is the engagement in the state. Having engaged in that way, whatever is oriented toward entering suchness and possesses the characteristic of bliss is "similar to that." The bliss characterized by the total purity of the body and so forth, which is attained by entering into suchness, is "subsumed by bliss."
Thus, because one has reached the ultimate limit of purification and so forth:
"The exhaustion of the arising of the knower and the known,"
Regarding this: "the knower" refers to the six functioning consciousnesses, such as the eye-consciousness and so forth; "the known" refers to everything from form up to the constituent of phenomena. "Arising" means that which arises from the knower and the known. "Exhaustion" means the emptiness of the mind’s grasped and grasper. Therefore, it is said that the mind characterized by wisdom in one-pointedness is to be known as one's own mind.
Such a mind is:
"The fourth, the actuality of all Buddhas,"
Regarding this:
Appearance alone and the emptiness of all things will ultimately become one; these are the five divisions of the second branch. To teach the vajra recitation, it is said: "The breath, which is the nature of the five wisdoms," and so forth. This refers to the breath that is the nature of the five wisdoms, such as the mirror-like wisdom and the rest. Since that very [breath] is the mirror-like [wisdom] on the right and so on, it is said: "The essence of the five elements." Regarding the phrase "emitted in the form of a sphere," one should meditate on that very [breath] and its nature, having emitted it from its respective vajra orifice in the form of a sphere at the tip of the lotus nose, in the form of the bodhicitta drop. Regarding "the five-colored jewel," the upward-moving breath is five-colored, having the nature of the five Tathāgatas. Regarding "the precious prāṇa and āyāma," one should visualize a short a at one's own heart lotus and place the prāṇa as a drop; this is the arrangement of the indestructible [drop], which is the fourth branch. "Self-mastery" refers to one's own form and so forth. "Faculties" refers to the eyes and so forth. In that regard, having blocked the two faculties, the winds definitely dissolve into them. Regarding "blocking the jewel," following that, the jewel which is the support for the objects and faculties—the precious mind together with prāṇa and āyāma—is blocked and set to subside. Whatever is the apprehended object, that is explained as the apprehender. If one asks what that is, it is the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi). These are the teachings on the four branches known as the apprehender.
"The mind becomes the vajra of cessation" means that the vajra of cessation is the clear light (prabhāsvara). To "become that" is for the mind to become that. "The apprehension of signs will arise" means that the apprehension of signs is the grasping of signs, which is the appearance of signs. "Will arise" means will be produced. "The realm of signs is of five types, as taught by Bodhivajra": from the dissolution of earth into water, the appearance resembling a mirage is the first sign. Likewise, from the dissolution of water into fire, the appearance like smoke is the second. From the dissolution of fire into wind, the appearance like the light of space is the third. From the three subtle elements appearing as a collection of appearances like a lamp, the essential nature is the fourth. From the dissolution of the appearance of self and other, the constant appearance of the nature of a cloudless sky, which is mere clear light, is the fifth. Through these five signs, one will attain nirvāṇa. As it is said in the Karmāntavibhaṅga: "Earth first dissolves into water; water dissolves into fire; fire dissolves into wind; wind also enters into consciousness. That very consciousness, the object of apprehension, enters into the clear light." To demonstrate the recollection (anusmṛti), it says: "Having become stable and purified, one should emanate into the realm of space through the vajra path by means of the sequence of the five signs." This means:
One should emanate [the deity] into the world-system and pervade it by way of the dharmakāya. Regarding the phrase "whatever recollection is meditated upon," it means that having meditated upon and actualized what has thus become clear. "Emanate in a similar manner" means that just as the limit of reality was previously attained through the aspects of the mirage-like recollection and so forth, one should emanate and generate in that very same way; those just explained should be understood and comprehended as "recollection." "From that, individual appearance arises" means that the branch of recollection arises from that conventional appearance and not otherwise. To demonstrate meditative absorption (samādhi), it is said, "method and insight," which refers to the union of the conventional and the ultimate. "All things in brief" refers to that which abides as the moving and the non-moving. "In the manner of a mass" means that having unified them into the form of Mahāmudrā, one should understand that one meditates on the form of the Great Vajradhara, whose nature is the union, in the midst of those moving and non-moving things. "In this very sequence, in an instant" means in a mere moment. "Completing wisdom" refers to the meditative absorption that completes the wisdom-body; this is the sixth branch. Now, to demonstrate the qualities of the six branches of yoga, it says: "When one enters into the meditative equipoise of withdrawal, all mantras are blessed," and so forth, which is easy to understand.
Having thus taught the approach stage, the near-attainment is now shown by the passage beginning, "That essence is in the heart." In this context, "essence" refers to the meditation on the wisdom-being (jñānasattva) residing upon a moon disk at the heart of each of the deities of the maṇḍala. "Like the union of the moon and vajra" means that one should visualize the respective hand-symbols of those wisdom-beings situated upon the moon disks at their hearts. "The mind is made into the substance of the mantra" means that within the vase hand-symbol, one should contemplate one's own mind as the syllable of supreme immutability. "Drawn in by the supreme weapon" means that then, by means of the mass of light rays—shaped like hooks—emanating from the nature of the three beings (the lord and so forth) who have become one with the maṇḍala deities, one should invoke the three beings renowned as being at the heart of the object of accomplishment.
Having thus struck them with the vajra-hook, in order to command Ucchuṣma to perform the generation for the sake of the practitioner, the text says, "In the manner of the form of the mantra." This means one should visualize the King Ucchuṣma summoned before oneself to receive the command, and then "recite the verses of awakening." This refers to the ritual of commanding Ucchuṣma to say: "Quickly bestow the supreme siddhi of awakening upon the practitioner of all the Tathāgatas." The "ritual" refers to the aforementioned procedure. "One's own maṇḍala" refers to one's own chosen deity (iṣṭadevatā). "That mind is the form of wisdom" means:
The completion stage demonstrates the exhortation of one’s own view. Having rendered the aggregates and so forth invisible through the perfection of wisdom, one finally unifies the conventional and ultimate truths and meditates upon their union; this is the "near-attainment," which teaches the meaning of the tenth chapter.
Now, in order to teach the "attainment," it is said: "As long as one sees," and so forth. The summarized meaning consists of the samādhi of enjoying desires, the ritual of enhancement, and the ritual of forceful application.
Regarding that, to briefly teach the samādhi of enjoying desires: "As long as one sees" refers to the common and supreme siddhis. "Six months" means that for six months, one should enjoy desires through the samādhi that follows below. Throughout all the infinite and boundless world systems, whatever nectars are renowned as being divided into superior, middling, and inferior, one should thoroughly visualize them as Rūpavajrā and the others, and engage in the conduct through the three emanations of the mantra-body and wisdom-body.
Regarding "If in six months": this means if siddhi is not attained by the completion of the six-month observance of awareness.
To teach the ritual of enhancement, it says: "The vow should be undertaken three times." This means one should engage in the conduct of the three emanations for eighteen months. If even by that, unsurpassed enlightenment is not achieved, then to teach the ritual of forceful application, it says: "The forceful application should be accomplished." This means:
"By means of the application of the divisions of the families, one should strike with the vajra-kila." This is what is taught. By joining the vajra and the lotus in union, one should perform the striking with the kila. This is shown as follows: possessing the application of Vairocana, one places Buddhalocanā in front; the actions of the hands embracing and entwining each other and so forth constitute the ritual of the Body. Possessing the application of Amitābha, one places Pāṇḍaravāsinī in front; one meditates on a five-pronged vajra within the bhaga of the goddess of the lotus, from which the three—appearance, increase, and attainment—arise, and causes it to enter within the source of phenomena (dharmodaya). Possessing the application of Akṣobhya, one places Māmakī in front; meditating on one's own vajra as five-pronged, if one strikes and pounds the seat with one's own vajra while it is endowed with a fire maṇḍala contained within the dharmodaya of one's own mudrā, the clear light will be attained. To teach the samādhi of enjoying desires, the phrase "by way of great passion" means that in order to abandon passion through passion, one abandons the body of one free from passion and emanates oneself in the body of the Great Vajradhara. There, by maturing and liberating sentient beings, one acts with attachment toward sense objects; this is the samādhi endowed with that manner. "Gather the possessors of the wisdom wheel" means:
"Having drawn in the members of one's own maṇḍala with the hooks of the light rays of one's own seed-syllable, they enter into one's own body as the very nature of the aggregates, elements, and so forth"—this is the meaning. Regarding the phrase "having emanated the nine goddesses": in order to satisfy the Blessed One with the sound of supreme joy, they abandon their previous state and manifest in the bodies of divine maidens, emerging from the body of the Blessed One. The nine goddesses are emanated as follows: the earth element as Buddhalocanā, the water element as Māmakī, the fire element as Pāṇḍaravāsinī, the wind element as Tārā, Vairocana as the nature of form, Ratnasambhava as the nature of sound, Amitābha as the nature of smell, Amoghasiddhi as the nature of taste, and Akṣobhya as the nature of touch; this is the interpretable meaning. Regarding the phrase "by way of great passion": this is the meditative absorption (samādhi) that is the method for manifesting the purification of passion, moderate passion, and so forth, in successive order. Regarding the phrase "gather the wisdom-wheel holders": having abandoned the clinging that perceives those external wheels of Tathāgatas as external, one possesses the blessing of thinking, "I am the body that accomplishes all of them." The nine goddesses are the same as before; this is the definitive meaning. Thus, having demonstrated the mastery of desire by emanating the six maṇḍalas of form,
Now, because mind is the primary factor in this tantra, in order to teach the activities of the maṇḍala subsumed by Akṣobhya, it is shown by the words: "From the complete transformation, the four mudrās." Having arrayed the goddesses upon the body, from their complete transformation, the square maṇḍala of the four mudrās—free of dust and the maṇḍala of the great samaya—is blessed and emanated in that place of insight. "Having placed oneself in the center" means that the Great Vajradhara himself is established in the center of the aforementioned maṇḍala of the great samaya. "All those possessing the wheel should be gathered" means that the wheel of gathered vidyā-mantras once again enters the body of the Vajra-bodhicitta. "Having made everything the vajra reality, one should meditate on everything as enlightenment" refers to the Vajra-bodhicitta; this is the interpretable meaning. "The maṇḍala of the four mudrās" refers to the aggregate of form, and the consort Prajñāpāramitā is the place where they are taught and reside. That itself is the maṇḍala; because it is the cause for generating the Buddhas, it is the "place of birth." As it says in the Sandhivyākaraṇa-tantra: "That ground which is taught by all the Buddhas is the thirteenth; it is correctly explained as the consort, and is called the bhaga of the sublime Dharma." This is the definitive meaning. "Having placed oneself in the center" means:
To abide in this great samaya that is stainless is to establish oneself. "All those possessing the wheel should be gathered" means that the maṇḍala of the great samaya becomes manifest as clear light. "Having made everything into the actual vajra, at that time, one should meditate on awakening" means that thereafter, having entered the clear light, the Blessed One, the Great Vajradhara, the embodiment of all families, arises from the ultimate truth and, by way of the nature of the single taste of existence and nirvāṇa, establishes himself as the lord of the three worlds in the center of the maṇḍala of the great samaya. As it is said in the Cakrasaṃvara: "In the expanse of the entire sky, the glorious Vajrasattva dwells."
Having thus shown that the five Tathāgatas have become the embodiment of the sixth, in order to demonstrate the speech of compassion—because the four consorts, with minds of faith and longing, desire to behold the Great Vajradhara—the text says: "By the four songs of exhortation." This means that the four, Locanā and the others, preceded by a praise, exhort him with charming and melodious songs in the six musical modes and so forth. It is as follows: "O Lord who dwells in the realm of sentient beings, you are the vajra mind," and so on. "By the goddesses' exhortation of the essence" means that the goddesses, who are the nature of the four immeasurables, have thus perfectly exhorted him.
"Mind, the nature of the vajra of the three times" means that he was exhorted. By the force of his previous aspirations, he arose from the yoga of emptiness and demonstrated the practice of passion through the bliss of supreme joy. Furthermore, by fully knowing the intrinsic nature of objects such as forms, he unified the eyes and so forth, and having enjoyed the goddesses such as Locanā during the state of universal joy, he became silent. "One should meditate on the body as being like wisdom" means that he remained in meditative equipoise together with the wisdom mudrā, free from the activities of the afflictions and so forth.
Then, following the entry into equipoise with the wisdom mudrā by way of the completion stage, this entire expanse of space became filled with the hosts of Tathāgatas, such as Vairocana, who are the very essence of Vajradhara and perfectly endowed with the three vajras, like a sesame pod without any gaps. They remained motionless, like a vessel of supreme joy. Having thus shown the Blessed One’s entry into equipoise, in order to demonstrate that he acts for the benefit of beings, it says: "Distinguish the colors by four." This means that the sentient beings dwelling in the three realms are touched by the glory of the Great Vajradhara and empowered by vajra light rays; through being touched and taken as objects by him, they all attain the state of a Tathāgata. "Likewise, the essence of taste" means:
Empowerment is conferred by vajra light rays. This is the conduct of vajra wisdom: taking as one's own the bliss of the meditative union of all sentient beings, which one has experienced through one's own meditative union. Regarding the phrase "empowerment is one's own continuum," this means that starting from the empowerment by vajra light rays, one becomes empowered by the body, speech, and mind of all the Tathāgatas, and thus becomes known by the unprecedented name "Samantabhadra, the All-Good." "One's own continuum" refers to the four [families]; through empowerment by vajra light, the result is the attainment of Samantabhadra. Regarding the phrase "the dharma of mantra will be distinguished," this means that the Great Vajradhara himself is realized and attained from the collection of syllables that engage in passion; it teaches the purification of passion and so forth without doubt. Regarding "awareness also by the dharma-mudrā," this means that the wisdom-mudrā is also indicated by the name "dharma-mudrā," or else that very wisdom-mudrā is called "many methods" because it realizes all-purity as emptiness. In order to show the detailed classification of that result—becoming Samantabhadra through the empowerment of the sentient beings of the three realms—the text says "the six universal monarchs," which refers to the five families and the Great Vajradhara. Regarding the "uṣṇīṣa," it is for the purpose of sealing by the Lord of the Family, whereby the bliss of the stable nectar abides unchangingly.
The "four enjoyments" refers to Locanā and the others. The "Vajra Lord" refers to the goddesses of the five sensory desires. The "Vajra of Meditative Concentration" refers to the ritual of conferring empowerment upon sentient beings by means of the light rays of the essential nature of those deities, thereby accomplishing the near-attainment. "Together with the wisdom body" refers to the wisdom mudrā. Regarding "the vajra of body, speech, and mind," the meaning of "accomplishment" is the realization of the union of all things as empty and non-dual through the conduct of passion.
Now, in order to teach the great accomplishment, it says "by the sequence previously explained," which refers to the sequence taught in the first chapter of the Root Tantra. Regarding "the Vajra-holder, the person of knowledge," this refers to the generation of Vajradhara as described above. "Generating the maṇḍala of the person of knowledge similar to oneself" means that, having arisen from the samādhi of natural luminosity and having beheld the realm of sentient beings pervaded by the five afflictions, one realizes that the thorough knowledge of the very nature of the afflictions is awakening, and that one's own essence is that very nature. Having known this, in order to purify the afflictions such as hatred in those to be trained and to emanate the five families, one emanates the four goddesses for the sake of enjoyment, as well as the five goddesses, the eight bodhisattvas, and the ten wrathful deities. Generating this maṇḍala is called the "great accomplishment." Having thus taught the four branches of approach and accomplishment of the completion stage, [the text continues].
Now, in order to teach the approach and accomplishment stages of the generation stage, it is said: "At the time of approach, the Great Uṣṇīṣa," and so forth. "Approach" (sevā) refers to placing the mind one-pointedly upon the bodhicitta; that is the suchness itself. Because one approaches and focuses upon that, it is called "approach." "The application of the Great Uṣṇīṣa" refers to the perfect application. What is that? It is the generation of the celestial palace from the syllable Bhrūṃ at the earth element and so forth. "Visualizing the form" means generating the conviction in the maṇḍala circle. Having done that, one analyzes the meaning of the mantra Oṃ śūnyatā-jñāna-vajra-svabhāva-ātmako ’haṃ and meditates on that which is characterized by the ultimate bodhicitta.
"At the time of near-accomplishment" means that, having focused on emptiness, one sequentially places the sun, moon, lotus, and so forth, one above the other. Upon that, one arranges the syllables. Having condensed them all, one contemplates a moon maṇḍala, and upon that, one arranges the three syllables. From the total transformation of those comes the hand-symbol (cihna); from the total transformation of the hand-symbol comes the generation of the form of the Great Seal (mahāmudrā). This focusing and generating, which accomplishes the essential point, is "near-accomplishment." "Up to the form of Amṛtakuṇḍalī" means that upon that form of the Great Seal, one arranges without exception the mantra syllables of the deities, from Vairocana and so forth, up to Amṛtakuṇḍalī at the northern gate.
One should meditate by thoroughly understanding the causes and effects of the aggregate of form and so forth. Regarding the supreme mantra practitioner: at the head, throat, and heart, upon a moon, sun, and sun [disk] respectively, are the three syllables OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ. From these, one emanates Locanā, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, and Māmakī. The emanation, withdrawal, and exhortation of the Vajra Body, Vajra Speech, and Vajra Mind, along with the recitation of the aspiration and the mantra, is the ritual for the blessing of the body, speech, and mind. "Accomplishment" (sādhana) means praying for the purpose of establishing the accomplishment. "By the yoga of one's own deity" means accomplishing the samayasattva, jñānasattva, and samādhisattva. "Great accomplishment" (mahāsādhana) refers to the culmination of the supreme king of the maṇḍala and the supreme king of activities; it is called "great accomplishment" because it accomplishes the great benefit of others. Regarding the line, "The body of the Lord Buddha, the Principal": at the time of generating that great accomplishment, "all the Vajra-holders" refers to the mantra practitioner endowed with the yoga of their own chosen deity. Having performed the union of the vajra and lotus, through "Vajradhṛk" and so forth, the Vajra-holders arising therefrom are the Tathāgatas, the great secret mantras of supreme yoga. "Having thus understood the distinctions" means that after having meditated individually by distinguishing the forms of their mahāmudrās, one should distinguish the families of the crown ornaments.
Furthermore, one should visualize the Great Vajradhara as the lord upon the matted locks and crown of the Great Mudrā forms of the five Tathāgatas. Having understood that the remaining families of deities are distinguished by Vairocana and the others as their crowns, the siddhi will be accomplished. The meaning is that if the ritual is impaired, even a Buddha would not accomplish it in tens of millions of eons, let alone anyone else.
Now, in order to show the method for manifest awakening through the dharma of passion, it is said: "The union of the object of accomplishment and the means of accomplishment," and so forth. "Object of accomplishment" refers to non-dual wisdom. "Means of accomplishment" refers to the clear light. "Perfect union" refers to the relative truth; the non-apprehension of these three is the purity of meditation, which is the stage of approach (sevā).
"Vajra" refers to the arising of the characteristic of entering into equipoise with the wisdom of method. "Lotus" refers to the definitive cessation through becoming the very essence of insight (prajñā). This is the stage of near-accomplishment (upasevā).
"Endowed with the syllables HŪṂ and PHAṬ" means that by means of the preliminary practices, one accomplishes the clear light and the attainment of universal manifestation will arise. "Accomplishment by means of accomplishment" means that it is accomplished at the time when the moment of ignorance is transcended and abandoned; it is accomplished through the causes and conditions of emptiness, great emptiness, and the emptiness of the great. If one asks what that is: "The essence is peaceful bliss."
Regarding "great accomplishment" (mahāsādhana): it is explained as the great accomplishment because by manifesting the clear light, the Mahāmudrā is achieved. This is taught in order to show that which arises from the method.
As for the phrase "the glorious lord of all buddhas": "lord of all buddhas" refers to the mastery of body. "The great Vajradhara" refers to the mastery of mind. "That itself is the nature of phenomena" (dharmatā) refers to the mastery of speech.
"Arising from the method of all buddhas" means that the attainment of the eight masteries is the result arising from that method. As stated in the thirteenth chapter of the Root Tantra, the Teacher Vajrapāṇi spoke thus to all the Tathāgatas: "Blessed One, if all the Tathāgatas possess the three syllables, all those bodhisattvas will have faith in and meditate upon this Vajra of the conduct of all the Tathāgatas."
All the Tathāgatas asked, "Which three?" Vajradhara replied, "The Vajra Body of all the Tathāgatas, the Vajra Speech of all the Tathāgatas, and the Vajra Mind of all the Tathāgatas—these are the three."
The master Candrakīrti also said:
"As far as ya, ra, la, and ha,
Ending with ka, kha, ga, and gha,
Ending with ja, da, and dha,
Together with ma—the root of each is the three syllables."
Thus, it is explained that the attainment of the mastery of the vajra body, speech, and mind arises from the methods of all tantras that conclude with such [mantras]. Body, speech, and mind are merely illustrative; as it says in the Great Vajraśekhara:
"Mastery of body, mastery of speech,
Likewise, mastery of mind,
Mastery of miracles, mastery of omnipresence,
Mastery of producing whatever is desired—these are the eight masteries."
This means that one will attain the mastery of miracles, the mastery of reaching everywhere, the mastery of desire, the mastery of place, and the mastery of retinue. In order to show the difficulties encountered when a practitioner of a specific maṇḍala performs a collection of activities, it is said: "By whatever is concordant with the activity," and so forth. "Concordant with the activity" refers to the various deities capable of accomplishing pacification and the other rites. "Yoga" refers to the application of Vairocana for pacification and so on. "Together with the maṇḍala" means that for pacification, one generates Vairocana and then generates Locanā in front of him. "Terrible samaya" refers to commanding the activity with secret mantras such as oṃ ruru sphuru and so forth. "Vajra body, speech, and mind" refers to the Buddhas of the three families. "Uṣṇīṣa samaya" refers to the Great Vajradhara. Furthermore, at the time of accomplishing activities such as pacification, one issues the command.
When expelling obstructors with the wheel of the Word, one should understand there to be two types of commands. Now, in order to show how the various activities are to be performed, the text says: "Regarding the body of the one to be accomplished..." This means that the enemy, holding an axe and a hammer in his hands and having become enraged, is visualized as filling the expanse of space with śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and perfectly enlightened buddhas, as well as monks who abide in the Buddha's teaching and possess qualities such as ethical discipline, and lay practitioners (upāsakas) who possess the five precepts, and all sentient beings of the three realms. One should meditate on the enemy killing them by striking them with hammers and cutting them with axes. Furthermore, having visualized the Guhyasamāja maṇḍala within the enemy's body, one should proclaim the enemy's faults to the deities of the maṇḍala residing in that body. Then, regarding the phrase "having destroyed them," it means that the deities of the enemy's body become enraged, destroy and kill the enemy, and cast him out. Regarding the phrase "with all substances," it means that one should summon the enemy's deities into one's own deity and cause the enemy's deities to enter one's own maṇḍala. Regarding the phrase "with the substances as they were taught," this refers to the fifteenth and fourteenth chapters. Regarding the phrase "pervaded by wrath," it means meditating on oneself as a wrathful deity. Then, regarding the phrase "the wrathful ones who have received the command," it means that as taught in the fifteenth and thirteenth chapters, one's own retinue of wrathful deities, rākṣasas, birds, and jackals...
One should dispatch snakes and the like, and having summoned them, they should be made to descend into the effigy. Regarding the phrase "at the crown, throat, and heart," this refers to the ritual of the ritual stake (kīla) as taught in the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters. Regarding "epidemics and afflictions," as it appears in the thirteenth chapter, one should strike with a five-pronged vajra stake arising from the syllable HŪṂ. Regarding "all those applications," this means they are joined with yantras and the recitation of mantras. The meaning is that they possess a collection of activities such as meditative concentration, fire offerings, and the suppression of signs. The explanation of the individual activities, beginning with "for pacifying, with a pacifying mind," is easy to understand.
Now, in order to show the praise by way of cutting through doubt, the passage beginning with "Then the Blessed One" is spoken. The Great Vajradhara, who has entered into the clear light, is praised with the King of Praises. Regarding "the slaying of all Buddhas," this refers to the doubt raised concerning the wrathful activity just described. The response to that is given in the passage beginning with "Then all the Tathāgatas." Regarding "the master who possesses the Vajra of Awakening," this means the realization of ultimate awakening. Regarding "all things are like an illusion," this means that by meditating on the body of union, one is like an illusion. Therefore, one does not go to the lower realms through sin, nor does one go to the higher realms through merit; it is taught that the result is awakening. Regarding "Vajra Awakening," this is the emptiness of all.
"Sealed by wisdom" means meditating on the two truths as inseparable. Regarding the statement, "Having brought the great accomplishment to its conclusion, one should undertake the activities": for one abiding in the generation stage, once the mind has become stable in the subtle [object] and the count of the recitation ritual is complete, one should undertake the activities that are supremely devoted to mantra. For one abiding in the completion stage, once the mind is stabilized through the conduct of the three elaborations and the vajra recitation has been actualized, one should undertake the activities that are supremely devoted to the internal. This is what is taught. Regarding that meaning, the bodhisattvas exclaimed, "Excellent!" Then, the passage beginning with "the bodhisattvas..." and so forth follows. To show that the Tathāgatas, having received the empowerment of the Guhyasamāja and abiding in the state of union, are fearless in any respect, the passage beginning with "Then those Tathāgatas..." and so forth was spoken. Now, in order to show the third praise, which praises by way of summarizing the entire meaning of the Guhyasamāja Tantra, the passage beginning with "Then the great bodhisattvas..." and so forth was spoken. First, the praise of the Buddha Jewel by way of the thirty-two deities of the Guhyasamāja is as follows: "The vajra mind of the three times" refers to the Great Vajradhara. He is the one who has pacified both cyclic existence and liberation, nirvāṇa; having abandoned all obscurations and realized the luminosity of space, he is the Buddha.
Homage is paid to Vairocana and the others, who are the bodhicitta, the Vajradhara, the person of awareness, possessing the eightfold lordship of the body of union. "Form and feeling" refers to the five families. The six consciousnesses are the wrathful deities such as Kāmarāja and the rest. The sense bases are the five goddesses. The sense base of phenomena is Samantabhadra. The six faculties are the six such as Kṣitigarbha and the rest. Earth and the other elements are the four consorts. Space-vajra is Mañjuśrī. To demonstrate the four wrathful gatekeepers, it says "delusion" and so forth. To demonstrate the six wrathful deities such as Kāmarāja and the rest, it says "enthusiasm, joy, and aspect" and so forth. Having thus praised by way of the deities of the maṇḍala, now the praise by way of the Dharma Jewel, the Guhyasamāja Tantra, is spoken: "That which is beginningless and pure in nature," and so forth. This teaches the vase empowerment, the secret empowerment, the conduct empowerment, and the wisdom-knowledge empowerment. By the phrase "free from enthusiasm," it means homage to the fourth empowerments. "That which is the method for the supreme siddhi, meditating upon this," refers to homage to the four branches of approach and accomplishment of the two stages. "Invisibility and so forth" refers to homage to the method and that which arises from the method for attaining the common siddhis through the four supreme vajras and for unerringly realizing the siddhi of Mahāmudrā.
Now, in order to show that even those yogins who enter the Saṅgha Jewel of the Guhyasamāja are like the resultant Great Vajradhara, the Tantra speaks of "whosoever hears the most secret Guhyasamāja Tantra," and so forth. This teaches that there are qualities arising from hearing and contemplating the maṇḍala of this distinguished tantra. To demonstrate the qualities of those who abide in meditation, it says, "Whosoever, by means of secret conduct..." This first shows the power of the ritual wheels of the collection of activities as the qualities of meditation. Why is that? Because it is easy to accomplish at the outset. To show that the practitioner who has become habituated to meditation possesses qualities equal to those of the Great Vajradhara, it says, "Whosoever is the principal practitioner... the higher realms," and so forth. Now, to demonstrate the benefits of that praise, it says, "By this peaceful praise," and so forth. Thus, when the tantra is completed by means of such praise, the Tathāgatas express their rejoicing in order to praise it, saying, "O Bodhisattvas of great renown," and so forth. To conclude the King of Tantras, the Glorious Guhyasamāja, it says, "Arising from the secret Guhyasamāja," and so forth. Even after the explanation of the outer tantra is finished, in order to demonstrate the entry into the equality of body, speech, and mind just as the root tantra is completed, it says, "All those Tathāgatas," and so forth.
Thus concludes the eighteenth chapter, titled "The Blessing of Vajra Wisdom that Reveals All Secrets." Regarding this: "All secrets" refers to the secret meanings of the Root Tantra that are revealed here. "Vajra" is the emptiness of all things. "Wisdom" is non-dual wisdom; the meaning is that this lineage has been blessed by the Great Vajradhara. A "chapter" (parivarta), as before, is that which averts the harm of the afflictions. "Eighteenth" means that the first chapter teaches the basis of the two stages, the sixteenth chapter teaches the meaning of the four branches of approach and accomplishment, and this eighteenth chapter completes the teaching of all those secret pith instructions.
This "Secret Lamp," a commentary on the Guhyasamāja that clarifies all secrets, is an explanation of the pith instructions of Nāgārjuna, following the Pradīpodyotana. Based on the successive stages of pith instructions from the masters Āryadeva, Nāgabodhi, Śākyamitra, Candrakīrti, and others, I have written this. By the merit of this, may all beings attain enlightenment.
The Extensive Commentary on the Later Tantra of the Glorious Guhyasamāja, titled "The Secret Lamp," composed by the venerable Yaśobhadra, is hereby complete. It was translated by the Paṇḍita Smṛtijñānakīrti himself.
Translation status: Not among 84000's published translations, and not in progress there. Translations published elsewhere have not been searched for, so one may exist. (source: 84000 catalogue + registry; checked 2026-11-10).
Set in Newsreader and EB Garamond; Tibetan in Noto Serif Tibetan; Chinese in Noto Serif SC.